Severence
by patattack750
Summary: Rights belong to RT Monty I own nothing. Raised by a band of raiders trained by Roman Torchwick and approved by Adam Taurus Jaune has more blood on his hands then almost any one in all of remnant. Driven by the need to atone for his past sins. He is given on shot by the elusive Ozpin to atone for his past crimes. Enroll at beacon and dedicate his life to the betterment of others.
1. Chapter 1

**SEVERANCE CHAPTER ONE SHADOW OF DEATH**

 _Peacefull_ , if there ever were a word for what the countryside was, it would be tranquil and quiet. So quiet that the lush green hills and bright sun were the only things that seem capable of making noise, that and the wind of course. Until that is a caravan mosied it's was into the distance.

Now caravans out in the wilds where a rare thing with Grimm attack on the rise and such. But that was a risk they knowingly take. After all life outside of the kingdoms was never easy. As the caravan slowly made its way thought why were mostly merchants and traders a hardy stock people with a good lay of the land and friendly disposition. As their carts past by the first tree line opening them to the forest they traversed it was still so utterly and perfectly tranquil and calm that they didn't notice two cylinders as they fell from the tree lines and impacted the ground emitting a cloud of grey smoke that choked the air…

* * *

 _Need to be fast..._ He through as he ran through the dense cloud of smoke. Darting in and by the confused travelers before they could see him. He was a tall, lanky youth. With wiry taut limbs and a lithe appearance. _Need to be quick!_ He thought as he ran through the smoke he looked for essential items.

 _Food, water, supplies_ the main things on his mind as he searched thump! _Ah!_ A cry rang out as he bumped into a brown-haired girl with amber eyes. As she stared up at him her brown eyes widened in shock as she started up she was quite small even for a child as her amber eyes regarded him in terror he cocked his rifle.

 _"Please…"_  
The girl said her eyes watering as she looked at him in a desperate plea for pity. She got her first look at the man, apart from his thin, wiry frame with thin, taut limbs and messy blonde hair. She couldn't see much else due to in fact he was wearing a gas mask, as he stood. One that lent him an inhuman almost insectile appearance that was wholly inhuman nature. Again she begged him, as he lowered his gun towards her. _She was a child._ Tattered in dirty brown robes and messy brown hair. Her eyes widened in relief.

"Thank-

 _Don't waste ammo_ he thought as he removed his sword and _without_ hesitation _stabbed her in the throat._

" _Gak!"  
_ The girl no the _child_ cried out as his sword stabbed into her throat. Her amber eyes went wide in shock as he slid his blade into her neck. Her eyes bulged out as they stared at him they seemed to ask _why_? As they glazed over as he plunged the cold steel into her throat bright red blood splashed it's hilt as she gurgled softly before he sheathed the blade with a sickening squelch. As her body fell loosely onto the ground before collapsing into a bright ever expanding crimson pool.

Figures darted in and out of the fog as people started to take note of their situation. Damn it. He thought bitterly I've waited too long now. The distraction with the girl had proven to be a horrible delay as now his time was up. And now it was time for his least favorite part of this as the people finally began to realize what was happening to them now... _now the screaming started._

* * *

 **Yee though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death lives no harm shall come to me.**

* * *

A gust of air rocked the craft as the blonde stumbled gah! He spat quickly who'd have thought out of all the things to hit him he'd be weak to motion sickness?! Jaune lamented the fact as the craft was buffeted by another blast of air.

I want to be a better person, no… I _need_ to be a better person. He thought as the craft sailed into the turbulence that was disrupting his flight As the craft was buffeted by air only one thought occupied the young boy's mind, this is really happening huh?

He asked himself as he looked outside the port side window to the shimmering city of Vale. I really made it Jaune thought as he leaned back in his seat.

He was a well dressed young man just above six foot tall with solid broad shoulders and solid blonde hair and crystal blue eyes. Decently dressed, in an outfit bought just before leaving for Vale. He was the epitome of new and improved.

If it weren't for the anomaly resting on his lap, he would look like a preppy kid from Atlas on his journey home. On his lap hands resting securely on it laid an old tattered satchel strapped to his lap.

It was a _sickly_ green color one that totally clashed with his prim and pressed suit, and had been so badly battered and beaten that the sewn in patchworked repairs were now so numerous that they outnumbered the bags original green.

At first glance, one would wonder why he kept such a thing. Why keep such a dingy green bag that is vehemently clashed with your original color scheme? As Jaune looked down at his bag.

You're so used up that you can no longer tell what the original was and what was the new patchwork. _Just like me,_ he thought ironically as he held the sobering metaphor like a child. Please gather your belongings and report to the landing are, n monotoned Pa said as the ship finally began it's landing procedures a voice said _welcome to Beacon academy for hunters_ as a dull feminine voice said an introductory speech and he walked off the ship.

* * *

'I'm here…'  
Jaune said in a hushed tone as he stepped foot on the school grounds. I made it to beacon! He could have jumped for joy if he wasn't already exhausted. His body had been beaten to hell an back and was barely holding up as was… As he stared at the large castle, he felt the unnerving feeling of someone watching him. Looking quickly he saw no one seems to fit the bill of an interloper, he shrugged but never let his guard down as he proceeds into the school proper…

* * *

Top of Beacon tower…

 _Interesting_ … the headmaster thought to himself as he watched the fresh students disembark from the transport dock. He always loved this time of the year fresh new faces full of idealism and naivety not yet hardened by war and pain. As He watched the stunned, they resembled nothing more than sparks of flame. Shooting fires intent on banishing the darkness once and for all!

At least _most_ of them did. As he took a sip from his ever-present mug, he saw him. Unlike the rest of the sparks of flames that lit up the world around him this student as not on fire. No, he was quite the opposite while the other youths radiated life and happiness and joy he radiated _solitude and suspicion._ His entire body was composed of short quick movements practical in motion and brutal in its efficiency. It was like watching a _shadow_ dance among the flames. As Ozpin stared at the boy, a sly grin came to his face as the transport finally finished unloading and began to take off. _A shadow of death_ had come to Beacon. He couldn't wait to meet it...

* * *

Beacon entrance

As he began walking forward he huffed his battered duffel bag that housed the entirety of his worldly possessions over his shoulder above his head; it was ragged and tattered. Even still it housed every last item he owned save for his weapons which he carried on his back. Everything he owned was housed in that down, beaten bag and he loved it for the world.

"We _finally_ made it to Beacon didn't we old friend"? He asked as he felt his sword pommel gently on its back holster, as he caressed the handle lovingly, "It only cost us everything." He sighed as he realized the truth behind those words, it was true Jaune had burnt all his bridges to get into Beacon.

He honestly had nowhere to return to. No one would take him in, not the raiders, _especially_ not the fang hell not even _Roman_ would take his _sorry ass_ now. For the first time in his admittedly short life, he was truly alone... He sighed deeply as he lamented his past life choices, keep moving forward he thought as he took his first steps.  
 **Severance Shadow of death**

* * *

"Are you alright?" Jaune asked the girl in the red hood as she lay in a self-made crater. This girl had apparently gotten into an altercation with another student and was now face first on the ground. I'm fine! The girl said in a nervous voice she graciously took his hand as he pulled her up from the ground.

"Thanks for helping me!" She said as he pulled the girl up he got his first good look at her. She was short, very short actually he doubted she was over five six in height with red, black hair, blood red cape and gothic outfit on her self-fitted with silver crosses black combat boots and _silver!?_

Jaune froze in shock as his body went stiff as a board. His mind went dim, and his breathing hitched as he looked at her face her eyes were a bright silver color that made him pause. As a cold hand gripped his heat, his breathing became labored as he stared at her. Is she? _No, she can't be_! He shook the thoughts out of his head as soon as they came, she's dead anyway. _Summer's dead and there is nothing you can do about it._

* * *

 _He's dressed snazzy!_ Ruby thought as she got her first look at the boy who had saved her from the crater of that mean girl.

Who did that princess think she was anyways?! She thought as she took his hand.

Her first impression of her savior was _white;_ he was dressed head to toe in a searing white tuxedo. The suit was clearly well made and if she had to guess steam pressed? Although she had no idea what that sentence meant it seems to fit his looks to a tee.

From what she could tell it was a piercing white three-piece suit, topped with layers of rich red linings and buttoned to the near top leaving only the last button ajar.

After that was the shining white dress shoes, he wore that despite all logic looked inhumanly comfortable.

Looking further up he also wore a blood red tie that was adorned around his neck and to top it all off there was a gleaming white bowler hat on his head. Now that she thought about it where has she seen that outfit before? Why does it look so familiar…?

Her thoughts when interrupted as she got others face as she saw the most dazzling pair of blue eyes she had ever seen in her life. As she was briefly captivated by them before she looked at the things above them and noticed the scars, one long jagged scar traced down his forehead to his neck with a sister song across that. The scars seemed old but significant reminder of a hard-won battle.

"My name's Ruby!" The Girl said in a timid voice, "Ruby Rose! And your's?" He chuckled as the girl struggle to keep her eyes on him. The tone of her voice made it seem like she was asking him for his left kidney and not just his name.

"Jaune Arc," he said as he held out his hand "nice to meet you." Remembering with perfect ease the name Roman had _given_ him. Even now he had no idea if it was his real name but it was the name on his sword, so the master thief declared, to quote. _Ah to hell with it! It's the name on your sword so it's your damned name!"_ Roman decreed in a fit of frustration as Neo giggled at him silently form her _spot_ , and just like that _Jaune Arc was born._ At this, the girl beamed as a smile adorned her face so bright and blinded it was as if she had become the sun itself as she shook his hand with the force of a small industrial-sized pair of pliers, "nice to meet you!"

She said as she gave the brightest smile he had ever seen, as they shook hands a similar smile came to him she's cute. He Thought as they began to walk together.

 **Severance Shadow of death**

* * *

"So you want to be a hero to?!" The girl asked instantly impressed with the boy she had just met and dared to call her very _first_ Beacon friend. Ruby was practically giddy at meeting her new friend, who she hoped would be with her for the rest of her time at Beacon. Despite what Yang said her mom was right! Ruby would make friends with the _best_ people!

Her mom Summer Rose had said the _day_ before she departed for beacon and she was right! Although Summer _usually_ was right in matters of this. More so than Yang or aunt Raven at least. Ruby had been here for less than ten minutes and despite nearly blowing up an heiress, _which totally was not her fault by the way._ She had already made fast friends with the hunter protege _Jaune Arc!_ If there was ever a better example of a noble hunter Ruby had _yet_ to see one!

"Yeah, I want to save as many people as I can. " Jaune said as they walked through the campus grounds.

"That's so cool!" Ruby said as she eyed him thoroughly impressed. Truth be told she was delighted to have made this friend. He was everything she wanted in a hunter.

 _Strong, composed_ and fixed with the _burning_ desire to help others!  
Though the latter part was more her youthful imagining then hard facts. As they walked on the ground there, footstep made quiet stepping noises until Jaune stepped on a _particular_ stone and was greeted not with the sounds of shoes on pavement but instead he was greeted by the familiar shoes on slick liquid as the pavement gave way _to a pool of blood._

As they walked down the pathway, _SHLOP! SHLIP!_ The sound of slickening tiles filled the air as Jaune walked passed the slick blood cobblestones. As he stepped _SCHOP!_ A bright crimson puddle formed on his feet as the cobblestones leaked out thick puddles of blood onto the walkway.

 _SCHLOP!_ His feet now were thick in the blood and spread it all over the grounds. You see Jaune had the gift. Or curse if he was more honest ti was more lick a pox. You see Jaune could see the blood. Whenever a person took another's life, the life of a sentient being they would gain the blood. And it would follow them wherever they walked.

It showed itself in bright reflecting pools or crimson liquid, following your every movement and filling your every footstep with slick scarlet imprints and coalescing where you sat. _The more you killed, the more blood you would get._ It was a _s simple as that._ As he walked the puddles of blood expanded and grew, he was worried that his new friend would slip and _fall_ into them.

Not _literally_ fall of course as most people could _not_ see _the blood_. Let alone _interact_ with it, not even _Jaune_ could interact with the blood. Besides him, a _rare few_ individuals, like _Specter and Taurus_ could _actually_ see the blood. Most people seemed to utterly ignore the vivid crimson substance deposit have miniature puddles following them.

As they walked, the blood was getting thicker unusually so to the point where it had become bothersome _to him._ This was strange. Usually, the blood wouldn't act up like this. Jaune thought as he walked through the cobblestone path he was lucky he could see the blood otherwise his companion surely would have had a heart attack _or three._

His companion, however, paid the blood no mind as they walked in their usual rhythm. He was worried Ruby would be caught in the blood but to his surprise, every time her foot came down the blood receded from her.

It seemed as if it was actually scared to be anywhere near her and her happiness? It was almost as if she had burned it by merely existing around it. As she talked to him he felt a faint smile form on his lips she was everything he had ever wanted to be…

 _Kind, courageous, loving,_ and above all else she _wanted_ to help those around her. She _wanted_ to save people. Not like him, not like Jaune who simply _had no choice_ in the matter. If he didn't save people he was damned, although odds were he was _damned no matter_ what he did. He made a decision then and there if he was to succeed in this school so must she. If Ruby Rose could _not_ be a huntress _then neither could he._ He mused as the blood receded to it's much more manageable twin puddles as he started to listen again.

 _"So I have this_!" Ruby yelled before slamming a massive scythe into the grounds. "Whoa!" Jaune said as he backed off from the death machine. This here is Crescent Rose! She's a high impact sniper rifle that's also a scythe! Ruby said in a tense voice that she hoped would successfully hide her true motives.

You see Ruby was never good at hiding how she felt. She wore her emotions on her sleeve for the world to see.

A fact that her elder sister would often tease her endlessly about growing up.

And right now she was struggling to hide the series of emotions welling up inside of her. As she looked at her first friend in the school. She was conflicted. On the one hand this boy Jaune her first real friend who she looked up to as a _literal shining knight._

Someone who had come of his own free will, to help _her_ an actual stranger whom he had never met after she _literally_ exploded on the school pavement. Ruby made her decision then and there regarding the tall boy in the white tuxedo, whoever this _Jaune Arc_ was he _had_ to be a _good_ person!

He was someone Ruby wanted to become friend with and be great hunters together.  
That's why it was so hard to make conversation when she saw her friend in _pain._

She couldn't tell at first, but now it was _clear._ _Jaune was hurting_. _Badly._ Not the physical kind but the _internal kind._ The emotional pain that _did not_ just go away when you felt better, but the kind of hurt that _grew,_ the kind that would _linger fester_ and _feast_ upon your soul until there was nothing left. Form the way he walked to them the way his shoulders slumped at every step he took. To his voice that seemed dull and sodden. She couldn't tell at. First, he was good at hiding it, but now she was sure of it. He was sad beyond sad _he was depressed_ , and she was going help him _no matter what._

She saw it in his eyes, eyes which once shone a bright dazzling blue. Now upon closer inspection that which once was boldly pronounced orbs were _sunken and hollow._

His eyes appeared to _sink i_ nto his skull rather than simply be on them. Also, his eyes had lost their spark she had once seen. The radiant blue shine was now dimmed and dulled. Now they no longer radiated warmth but pulsed in icy fear Ruby fought to keep half from shaking as she looked into his _cold, dead eyes._ They looked less of a pair of eyes that a human wore but more like the _eyes of a doll._

It looked like they were _painted on_ in a _macabre mockery_ of life rather than actual parts of his body. That was _equally deadly_.

Like a battery that was slowly running out of power and was struggling to stay alive.

His whole body seemed to radiate exhaustion and tiredness, and it looked like he wanted nothing more than to lay down and sleep and never get up again.

Although these things were bad, they were nothing compared to his eyes. Ruby had to hold her gasp as she eyed the hollowed empty eyes that radiated permanent exhaustion with every second. the thing that really bothered her was his steps. Or lack thereof. It had been in the corner of her mind for some time now, but now Ruby was sure of it.

Yet as bad as all those things where the thing that _really_ bothered her was his steps. _Or lack thereof._ It had been in the corner of her mind for some time now, but now Ruby was sure of it.

 _He's not making any footsteps!_ She realized as she forced her hearing scrunching her eyes shut and listening closely she was right!

Despite them walking side by side she could only hear _one_ pair of feet hitting the ground. It was like he was purposely muting his body! As they walked down the pathway.

The _second_ thing that caught her attention was hi _s gait._ Jaune's walked caught her attention as he seemed literally incapable of being in _direct_ sunlight for any amount of time. She watched as he ducked a boobed in subtle _almost_ indecipherable movements, ones that would surely be next to impossible to notice if you weren't looking for them directly.

It was as if he would _instinctively_ seek the shadows whenever the chance presented itself. His body would jump and somehow _merge_ with the dark as if becoming apart of a greater whole. His walk while sullen and surefooted was also catlike and enigmatic…

Seeing these things were troubling to the extreme for the young girl. But nowhere near as bad as having little to no experience with strangers and _not_ having the faintest clue on how to help!

So when pressed for time and in desperate need of a distraction she did was she knew best. She went to her default option for dealing with awkward social situations she brought out her weapon.

"Pretty cool right?!" She said desperately hoping her friend would agree. That's amazing! Jaune said for lack of better term to describe the massive sniper scythe hybrid I Know right!?

"That's amazing!" Jaune said for lack of better term to describe the massive sniper scythe hybrid that was now implanted into the ground in front of him.

"I Know right!?"

Ruby beamed I designed her myself and everything! Ruby beamed in a way that could only be described as absolutely adorable and was causing Jaune to positively smile before he noticed her impatiently tamping her feet "sooo?"

The girl said before glaring at him in a way that might have been intimidating if it didn't look like a drowned puppy.

"So what?" Jaune asked bemused by the girl's antics. It was rare that he got to talk to a member of the opposite gender for this long without one of them missing any body parts, or lose their internal organs so Jaune was determined to keep this _novel_ conversation going for as long as humanly possible.

"So show me yours!" She yelled suddenly and loudly to Jaune who looked at her with a blank deadpanned expression on his face.  
"Show you what?"  
"Your _Weapon! Where's your weapon?!_

She said in oddly demanding but cute fashion." _Come on!"_ She pouted adorably, "I showed you mine, so you have to show me yours right?" The girl asked in the most adorable way possible.

"That's how it works in the real world right?" The girls said oblivious to her double entendre as Jaune sighed before reaching to his back.

"This here is my sword one _Crocea Mors!"_ He said in is the best _heroic_ voice that the had been practicing, it was definitely better than when he had first started but was still stiffer then Roman after an all-night bender, or _Qrow_ for the matter. Jaune thought as he pulled his hand from behind his back revealing a long and immaculate long sword.

Ruby's already high opinion of him skyrocketed upon seeing the blade. One look at its master crafted handle told her all she needed to know about him. If he would not only find but keep his weapons in the fine condition and use them effectively? _Ruby was in love!_

Her Face instantly turned red this thought as she shook the thoughts away.

Bad thoughts! _Go! Shoo! Run before Yang finds you and kills you!_

While Ruby was having a mini-meltdown as she ha the first inkling of a crush on a complete stranger! "You ok?" Jaune asked as he put a hand on her head making her already reddish face go full on hemorrhage levels of crimson as she barely stood up as her legs shook.

Guess I should show her the next part he thought as he reached behind his back to reveal another handle.

Whatever nervous spasms Ruby was undergoing receded instantly upon the arrival of a new weapon as she looked with rapt interest that became pure shock as he reached behind his back with his left had an withdrew an old weather-beaten pump action shotgun with the word _Shorty_ scrawled into its barrel.

"This here is _Shorty!_ She's been with me my whole life!" He said happily as she stroked the weapon affectionately.

Before he could introduce it further the voice of a confused reaper interrupted him.

"Sword and... _shotgun!?"_ Ruby asked clearly confused at the concept, "how do you fight with that?" She asked not seeing how such a weapon combination was possible or even practical! That doesn't make sense!

Ruby Nearly yelled at him causing a confused frown to form on his face. What do you mean it doesn't make sense? He asked perplexed by the girl's sudden outburst.

"How do you even hold the two weapons?" She asked him using a rather comedic version of how one might hold the two weapons. "Like this?" He replied holding both weapons up for her to see, "with my hands?" Jaune said as he held one weapon in each arm.

"I meant how do you use them in a fight!" She yelled now seeing how others might see her own awkwardness, with my hands? Jaune answered in the most innocent way gawked before rallying. "How does it even fire?" The small reaper asked her new best friend in the whole world desperate to know more about his strange and exotic weapon.

"It uses magnetic coils to accelerate the shot's, to a velocity nearly three times the speed of sound," he said with an honest expression "why?" At their weapons talk, Ruby's mind went into overdrive.

Thoughts about social awkwardness and therapy practicality flew out the window now replaced with, convenient numbers.

How much force does it shoot with? What kind of magnetic coils does it use? What's the maximum charge rate? What's the preferred charge rate? She fired over ten questions a second at her friend an overwhelming him with information and causing his head to turn.

What kinds of ammo does he use? She Pondered as she looked at the weapon. Does he use solid shot or buckshot? Did it take factory make or custom ammunition? At the thought of custom ammunition her brain nearly overloaded with possibilities Does it have any attachments?

Scopes were becoming quite popular on all weapons even shotguns these days and even due to their range limitations it never hurt to have additional accuracy!

There were even the rumored _sniper_ shotguns that she had heard about in the latest guns and bullets! Sniper shotguns! Hah! No matter how much she heard it always sounded ridiculous!

Does he load it manually or can it auto reload? She doubted the later as she saw no discernible hint of an autoloader anywhere nearby. Although Just because you didn't see it doesn't mean it isn't there! She thought as she looked at the barrel. How much rounds per magazine?

Does the weapon shift? Highly unlikely given its nature and design, where did he find it? Did he make it himself or did he buy it off of someone? So many questions and so little time!

Given her imminent brain overload, she asked the simplest one. "How do you fight with those?" At this Jaune smile as he looked at her before grinning viciously, "you'll just have to see, won't you?" He smiled as he spoke Causing Ruby to finally lost it and bit down onto his arm in public. "OWWWWW!"

 **Severance Shadow of death**

* * *

After their impromptu weapons talk a brief dab of rubbing alcohol and his absolute stalwart defense against Ruby's ultimate weapon the puppy eyes of cuteness!

He never thought any gaze could ever match his old bosses regarding intensity. He shivered involuntarily at the memory of when his latest boss became irate at somebody when she was mad at you, you would know it. For however short the rest of your miserable life would be spent in absolute panic.

As he remembered the burning buildings and people alike a shiver ran down his spine at the sight of her flaming eyes full of cinder….

"And That's why I came to Beacon!" Ruby Said as they walked they had been talking about their own lives, and the two got to know more about each other. Jaune learned Ruby was a younger sister to a girl name Yang who had abandoned her in lieu to hang out with her old friends.

She also lived on an island called Patch and had a rather peculiar family, although life in the wilds had insulated him from much of the outside world he was fairly certain most familial units consisted of two parents and not three. As he learned about her two moms and dad.

Ruby also got to know more about Jaune although she was none too happy from what she learned. She learned he was orphaned as a child and any parents or siblings he had were most likely eaten by grim in the wilds.

This led to him growing up in a bad environment and struggling to stay alive. Although this adversity while horrible and she would not wish it on the worst enemies. Not that Ruby Rose had any enemies not yet at least.

It had also tempered his resolve to save people who were less fortunate than himself from a similar fate and explained why he was here; this was something Ruby admired with great passion.

Too many times she had seen how people responded to great struggle and adversity with selfishness and succumbed to the challenge of life-giving into their base desires of greed and self-preservation.

Seeing Him not only rise above the challenge but devote his entire life to helping those who could not help themselves?

Ruby was more the impressed she was enraptured by the young man. As she no longer saw him as a sad broken and downtrodden soul, but a weary and battle-tested warrior a shimmering knight of virtue and honor!

A Shining paragon of truth an justice! As she watched him very eyes dilated as her cheeks blushed a bright red as her chest tightened inexplicably quickly. She definitely wanted to become better friends with him…..  
"You're a pretty funny kid."  
"I'm not a kid!" She puffed her cheeks, she was cute, unreasonably cute and adorable she was near perfect you sound just like my sister!

As he smiled much at the young reapers annoyance, she pouted to him. A most effective attack a thought crossed his mind do you know where we are going?"  
" I Was following you."  
"I Was following you."

Above a voice called for all new students to report to the auditorium for assembly as they both looked to each other "oh crap!"


	2. Chapter 2

_"I don't get it!"_

 _The tall girl asked as she kicked her legs out lazily from the boulder she was sitting on. Her long legs kicking freely as her long bright silver hair fell to her ankles as he grey fright mask stared at him._

 _"What do you think Jaune? Do you think they should keep screaming or what?" The girl asked as a discarded can of food by her side as she addressed her friend._

 _"I have no Idea, Mika. I think that it really doesn't matter in the end does it?"_

 _Jaune answered as she scrapped the remainder of the cold wet food form his can eliciting a loud clinking noise with his fork as he forced the food under his gas mask and into his mouth._

 _"I'm just saying! If they know we are going to kill them anyway and they do. Then why all the screaming? Why all the begging? Why is there much Oh please don't kill me! I don't want to die! I have a family! I mean what's the point?"_

 _"Maybe because they really do not want to die?" Another voice this time a male said as Jaune traced his sight to the tall figure sitting on a boulder dressed from top to bottom in green-grey combat fatigues just like himself and Mika, hell all of the raiders were dressed in dull patched together uniforms topped of with terribly fright mask as they ate their dinner._

 _"AH! Kage, you are no fun! You never like to kill anyway!"_

 _"I don't like to kill without reason or purpose. I like killing just as much as you." Kage replied making Mika sigh heavily._

 _"I'm just saying! If you have air to beg you had air that can be used to fight! I know if it was going to be my last moments I sure as hell wouldn't waste my breath begging for mercy!" She said as Kage and Jaune shrugged as they went back to enjoying their meals as the stench of rotting corpses filled the air.._

* * *

 ** _Yee though I walk by the still waters my soul is damned..._**

* * *

" _Over there!_ " The reaper called as she pulled the boy. Where? He asked as they entered a crowded amphitheater there! As they searched the throng of humanity that was filling the room and getting thicker by the second. He didn't like it this many people in these tight quarters. Long missions and bad memories threatened to surface as they were pulled along.

Sure his blade could get to work, but it would be bogged down to quickly, and he'd have to-

" _Ruby!"_ The sound of his new friend's name being called out snapped him from his reprieve she saw a tall blonde with assets signaling them.

As they approached the blonde "Yang!" Ruby yelled she broke free of Jaune as she went to greet her sister. "Ruby!"

The tall girl said as she embraced the younger one. Unlike her sister, Yang was tall broad-shouldered had a mane of immaculately cared for golden hair. That was a strikingly similar color to his own.

As the broke apart, "Yang!" Ruby said happily as she bounced to Jaune, "yes Rubes?" The older girl said sweetly as she looked at her adorable sister lovingly. "I want you to meet my new friend Jaune!" She said as she took his arm and locked it with her own.

As she hugged her arm around his Yang's eyes caught him and went ablaze at the sight of him. In front of her was a man about her age and height, in a stunning white three-piece suit.

Tall and lanky with a thin, wiry frame and sporting a wry smile. As she stopped dead in her tracks. He flashed her an odd toothless smile at her as she stared him down.

The boy's entire demeanor seemed strange, though that's not what made her stop. Her playful smile turned into an open challenge as she smirked at him.

She stuck out a hand. "Name's Yang Xiaolong nice to meet you!" She said as she shot out her hand "Jaune Arc" he said neutrally as they shook his guard was instantly raised by the girl remember! You are here to start a new life, so attempt to downplay your strengths!

Seeing as discretion was the better part of valor he took her hand in his. Rember firm but not painful, he thought as he gripped her outreached arm.

"Nice to met you!" He said before suddenly yelping and grimacing as her hand attempted to crush his. Yang know what her plan was, any guy that tried to work his charms on Ruby had to go through her first! As she attempted to crush his hand in hers.

Years of handshake negotiations with Roman kicked into him as he immediately returned her grip pound for pound not giving his fellow blonde and knock out beauty an inch, causing his fellow blondes eye to go alight with flame?!

He paused unsure if he wasn't hallucinating. He blinked several times before he realized that what was in front of his face was very, very real. The girl in front of him was on fire. The hell?! He thought as flames shot from her eyes. She's on fire!? Jaune thought desperately s the girl's eyes turned a bright crimson color as a fire broke form her hair.

"You got one helluva grip there Goldilocks!" She said with a wide grin. As she continued to pressure his hands. He grimaced but held fast refusing to give in. "Same to you!" He said with a pained smile as her grin doubled in length and became a wide snark.

As her hand continued to pressure his, Jaune felt his gorge rise as the girl refused to let go of the pressure on him. "You got some nice moves their kid!" She said as she leaned into him wedging his arm in between chest. "Why don't we take this somewhere more private?"

Her voice took one husky tone as he leaned into him pressing her ample chest onto his even one. His face instantly flushed bright red, but his hand refused to let go os he held his position in front of the tall blonde.

"Yang!" Her little sister said petulantly not willing to lee the in the face.

"Stop bullying Jaune!" As she sudden flushes and broke her grip.

The boy quickly turned away blushing furiously and got a raucous chorus of raucous laughter from the girl who was shaking her now fireless head happily. "Rubes! I'm just kidding!" She chirped seeing the boy blush had made her day. As his face went from a solemn and glum to pure embarrassment. As she reached for the blushing boy.

"Hey, Jaune- that was all she got as she put a hand on his shoulder. Years of training suddenly flooded his mind, and he acted before he could think.

In one fluid motion he had grasped her arm and in one seamless pivot had successful tossed her from behind his back flat onto the ground in front of him efficiently slamming her onto the floor, causing the whole auditorium to instantly look at them.

What happened next was even more shocking. As the boy moved so fast it was almost a blur of white as Ruby tried to lilac eyes widened in surprise as his hands moved more swiftly than even her baby sisters on a sugar rush.

As the blur that was his arms moved, she felt an iron grip on her arms before a certain weight was lifted from both of them followed by a loud clinking sound of metal tossed onto the floor.

As one of her gauntlets was quickly and easily dismantled and tossed to the side. The other was ripped from her wrist and in one fluid motion that she couldn't even track, she found herself in the discomforting position of looking down the barrel of one of Ember Cecilia. As the boy in the tux now straddled her body holding one of her own weapons against her with a strong knee implanted on her chest and her own weapon at her forehead while he stared cold indifference into her purple eyes.

As his cold eyes started dimly into her purple ones. It took only a moment for the cold indifference to soften as a singular thought took over the mind. He messed up…. What are you thinking?! He mentally berated himself. As he desperately tried to find a way out of the situation that didn't land him in a ditch or worse kicked out!

"I'm so sorry"! He yelped as he got off his fellow blonde helping her up in the process her purple eyes still wide in shock. "I didn't mean to!" He mumbled instantly tossing the captured gauntlet to her before quickly fishing and gathering and assembling the other one before handing it to its rightful master.

"I'm Sorry!" He gulped as he took her arm and got the gauntlet on it, I didn't mean to-shhhhhhh.

Was all he heard as the fellow blonde put one lone finger to his mouth hushing him in an instant.

As the entire auditorium looked on in shocked silence, Ruby Was about to pass out from the stress of it all.

Here was her new best friend and possibly first crush was being hushed by her older sister which long family experience had taught her that what happened next was either going to be very very good of horrendously bad as her sister stared at her new friend.

Yang was on fire... Not only had some stranger tossed her, but also threw Yang Xiao Long to the floor like she was made of paper! He had also somehow managed to dismantle and disarm both of her custom designed bracelets succeeded in pinning her to the floor and had then threatened her with her own weapons! As she looked at the boy this Jaune Arc.

As he panicked long beads of sweat falling down his otherwise and if she was going to be honest kinda cute face, despite the two jagged scars and dead hollow eyes that looked nothing more than a doll's that spoke of experience it was kind of cute, as a ghost of smirk appeared on her face as her eyes cooled as narrowed pointedly. Her mouth took on a nasty sneer as she licked her lips, "oh I like you..."

Yang said through gritted teeth as she purred seductively at him. "Not only do you like it rough you don't mind tossing a girl down when she first met you?"

" I- I'd never!" The boy blurted out as he desperately tried to keep his composure.

Jackpot! Yang thought as she strode forward, to the young man. "I bet you like to take the lead in the relationship huh?" Yang asked suggestively she flushed her eyes rapidly "you look like the aggressive type huh?"

Yang asked as she stepped up to him far more wary this time but with every amount of self-confidence and poise.

As she grabbed his arm, "I bet you'd like nothing more than to toss me to the ground and pound me all night long huh? Would you like to take a few round with all of this!" She asked gesturing to the entirety of Yang. "So whaddya say Goldilocks you wanna Yang?" The boy's face suddenly took on a color that surpassed even her sister's cloak as he barely stammered a reply.

"Yang!" Ruby yelled petulantly from her right. "Stop teasing Jaune!" She said as she stared the boy in white down. Yang Ignored her sister's feeble request and kept up the offensive.

"How about it Goldilocks? How about you and me take this party somewhere more private? And l show you how to really take pounding huh?" She asked as her eyes narrowed at him. He looked ready to faint.

Yang smirked viciously her fight was almost over the win nearly knew her game, and she knows it well as she teased the boy just a little more and he'd bread an-

"are you asking if I want to have sex with you?"

Suddenly the room full of talking youth went so quiet you could hear a pin drop on the opposite side of the hallway...

As he deadpanned her causing her to blush momentarily before gathering herself as she pressed onwards.

"If I am?" Yang asked wagging her eyes innocently into his face. He's bluffing! She thought as she tried unsuccessfully to calm her beating her there's no way he'd bite! He's a boy! A teenage boy! He probably would you like nothing more than-

"Then the answer is yes." He said in a voice with such calm confidence it shook Yang to her core.

"What?" Was all she could reply before her brain finally caught up to her surroundings, "what?!" She asked confusedly as the boy pressed on.

"Was I not clear?" The boy asked taking a step forward, " I Jaune Arc would willingly accept your offer and would love to have sex with you, Yang Xiao-long."

The room was shocked into silence as Yang stared in shock horrified at the boy in front of her.

"Although since we just met wouldn't this see rather prudent? He asked as he stepped into her guard this time and not the other way around.

"I mean you are easily without a _shadow_ of a doubt one of if not the most beautiful women I have ever had the privilege of laying my eyes on and I would hate to rush this or act without your consent in any way."

He spoke with a voice so smooth it might as well have been made of silk. What!? The blonde squeaked in a voice that absolutely did not match her fierce appearance as she blushed wildly.

Jaune grained internally as he looked at the blushing girl in front of him out of the many, many things Roman had taught him the number one lesson from the master thief was how to deal with Women. That and soul cutting sarcasm that could put a layman in the psych ward for full evaluation.

He had, had her mark from the beginning. Starting from his first words with the girl, she was tough physically speaking, but she was still young, inexperienced to the world. She was the type to tease and flirt but never do any else. She could dish it out but couldn't take it back.

The fact that cursory glance revealed the she did not have the blood also made his job easier. Though in her defense from what he had gleaned of the Beacon attendees, not a single one of them aside from him had the blood. As their feet were clean. A good start. He had grown to accustom to the blood as of late and was looking for a way out.

"Whats wrong?" He asked suddenly getting behind the girl's guard and dipping her into a dancer's fall. He watched as purple eyes died out the shape of the saucer as he gently swept her off her feet. The girl yelped before clinging to him for dear life he purples yes ablaze with confusion, fear, and what was without a doubt the unmistakable trace of arousal.

As he let her slowly fall to the ground but not touching it. In fact, only letting the tip of her mane touch the auditorium floor. Her beautiful blonde hair felt absolutely wonderful in his hand. Smooth as silk as he traced his hands to it.

"Now come on enough with the foreplay all right?" He asked in a voice clearly designed to strike at your most vulnerable weaknesses. As the girls blush doubled.

" Foreplay!?" She actually squeaked an action quite unbecoming of a girl of her build and looked. He paused conflicted at the sight of such a beauty so much out of her element as a thought came to his head.

She's clearly shaken an uncomfortable. Maybe I should show her mercy and let it be. Jaune thought before a voice spoke up in his head. Would Roman show you any mercy...? Hell no! He thought before he shot her a vicious grin and pressed onwards. "Come on surely one night couldn't hurt, could it? "

One night?! One night of what?! Yang was about to pass out! Never before had someone wrong foot her so well broken her guard like it was made of glass.

" Surely I am not the first to proposition you?" Jaune asked as he saw a slight smirk come out Yang; face. She wanted the upper hand back he would let her think he had just offered it.

"You could say that-"

Yang began before he struck back. "I mean it must be quite a common thing people telling you that you are beautiful is it not?"

" I- I'm!" The Girl stammered before she suddenly felt the hand on the back of the neck tighten and lift her head.

Yang was freaking out. She did not want to kiss him! They had just met for mum's sake! As the fellow blonde lifted her face to his as the distance between their lips closed. She could have broken out. Easily! Yang was no slouch regarding shoving off pushy paramours, but Jaune's hold was in no way dominating. It was more guiding.

And persuasive if nothing else. As he lifted her head, she felt something else inside her beside the fear and confusion. She was curious. As a feeling of genuine curiosity welled up in her heart, she had never pursued any real romantic relationship before, and as she looked at the blonde boy in front of her a voice chimed in why not now?

He wasn't bad looking not at all. He had a slight build she admired with a calm face even if he had two jagged scars running down his face that weren't a deal breaker or anything. Not in the slightest! Her dad also had injuries, and she loved him! Although to be fair her mom gave him those…

In all her life no one had ever accused Raven Branwen of beginning gentle with her partners, and Tai-yang was living proof of that. In fact, if it wasn't for Summer she doubted her dad would still be in one piece!

Just one kiss? She thought as she finally caved into the stress. As her eyes flashed myriad of colors from purple to orange to red. The continually changes color as she pushed her lips out in anticipation of her first kiss.

Oh my god! Yang's mind was in overdrive. Here was a man who had walked into her life tossed her to the ground dismantled her weapons and now was about to steal her first kiss! As she went through the innumerable reasons why this was not ok, one thought hit her mind.

She was oddly ok with this. As she readied her body for her first experience. What did she smell like?! Did she put any makeup on? Oum tell her she was at least wearing a tasty lipstick!

As the myriad of thought fought for control, she silenced them with one swing. We are what were. If he has a problem with that then tough! She reasoned as she puffed out her cheeks and waited. And waited. And Waited some more.

Before her, eyes flicker open, and she felt something hard hit her forehead. Flick!

Jaune had flicked her forehead with his middle finger before letting her up "just kidding!" He said with the largest shit eating smile that was humanly possible. "I guess you could say you just got Yanged?"

Ruby was in tears, as she cried over her sister's embarrassment as she was in the back of their group sulking, Jaune was glad of his progress as he had successfully gotten Ruby to cry from laughter though that didn't seem hard if he was, to be honest with himself the girl was so trusting! As he smiled at the girl in red.

The one in yellow that was another story all he turned to see the older sister who look like she wanted nothing more than to take his spine out through his throat.

He decided to pay less attention to his potential murder anymore to the headmaster who had for some reason let him into this school.

The headmaster had been ranting for some time, but Yang's attention was fully on the blonde next to her sister. As she looks at the boy who easy blue eyes locked to her before flashing her an easy smile. Yang. Was. Furious.

She was still fired up at her meeting with Jaune. Her face still red with embarrassment he had fooled her! Followed Yang xiao long! He had played her at her own game and made her look like a fool in front of her own kid sister!

Her eyes glowed a dull flame as she thought of ways to get back at the boy. You just got Yanged!

He even used a pun! How did he even know that I like puns!? She thought as she ignored the headmaster's speech.

As her face turned to the blonde boy has turned with hers as their eyes met she had been expecting some victory sneer of mocking look, but instead, she only got a friendly smile and a nod of the head and just like that her anger vanished as if it wasn't even there.

As she realized something that had been eluding her for a long time now as her flames died and eyes went back to normal. We played the game, and I lost. Nothing more nothing less it was simple she had been outplayed.

He held no malice of her and was treating her with all the grace and good sport a good victor should as she realized this she altered her assessment of the boy. Oh, she already did like Jaune that was a fact. But now she liked him. As her blue eyes shone and fierce scarlet as she watched the object of her desire stare into space soon the only thing in your eyes will be me she promised her crush the headmaster droned on…

* * *

"We have to sleep here?!" Her younger sister said nervously as he struggled at the sight of a unisex accommodation. "Aw chin up Rubes!" Yang said happily as she put a hand on her back "it's going to be ok!"

"I don't think dad would approve of all the boys…"

"Oh, you have an eye on a boy sis?" She teased eagerly.

" No!" Her sister said quickly too quickly... as she blushed quickly. Averting her eyes from the blonde boy next to her.

"Uh huh…" Yang sounded unconvinced as Ruby ducked behind Jaune who appeared to find the whole thing quite amusing. Speaking of the lover boy, Yang was forced to admit that he cleaned up nicely.

Dressed in immaculate white sleeping attire. Light pants and a short t-shirt that showed off toned yet not shredded abs that made Yang's mouth slightly water at their site. "Nice pecks their Goldilocks!"

Yang said in a teasing tone "I bet you have a lot of girls fawning over those bad boy's don't you?" She asked waggling her eyebrows seductively at him. "I bet you have a whole fan club wherever you come from huh?"

She asked waving her eyebrow seductively at him let's see how he handles that! She thought confidently as she watched him think for a moment before answering.

"Naw just you." He said before taking her hand in his and kissing it gently. "But you're more than enough," Jaune said calmly making the blonde blush brightly.

As she stammered a list of half-hearted insults and semi-honest compliments, Jaune smiled smartly. If there was to be another habit he had picked up from his time with Roman, it was the subtle art of being the single most significant dick humanly possible without anybody realizing it. As the blond girl flushed brightly Score Jaune two yang zero.

Her other blonde just gave a wry smile as he gazed down at her. "I don't see a problem here," Jaune said as he turned to the room. "I think we need to get some rest"-

"Yes!" Yang said quickly bumping in between Jaune and ruby which had been slowly but steadily reaching out to his side.

Ruby shot a glare at Yang one that was returned full force. Sorry, sis no family exemptions in love. She thought as he little sister glared at her menacingly, well managing for Ruby which amounted to little more than an irate puppy for anyone else.

"Talk to her!"

"No!"

" Take to her!"

"No!" Ruby said fuming over her absolute failure to talk to the girl named Blake. She had enough of Yang forcing her to socialize. You have to open up! The older girl as the trio made there was to the corner of the sleeping room.

In the corner sat an absolute beauty of a girl. She had creamy milk smooth skin. And burning amber eyes. As she sat in a yukata that left little to the mind. An irritated sigh escaped her lips as she read her book.

" Umm. do you need something?" The girl reading the book asked not once bothering to look up from it.

"Why yes, she does!" Yang said nudging her baby sister forward with one arm. "My name's Ruby! Ruby Rose! And…" Ruby trailed off not knowing how to finish her sentence.

"You need what? "

The girl behind the book said in an equally dispassionate tone that made ruby shiver. This is why she hated social events!

She thought as she turned to her friends for help. Yang simply shook her head while Jaune stepped in to save his friend.

"She wanted to know about your book that you are reading-

" Jaune!?" A shrill voice called as the book girl dropped her literature Jaune froze in place.

His mouth went dry, and his heart felt like it would burst as a hand gripped his chest as he saw a familiar pair of Amber eyes glaring at him Blake!?

He asked as he saw his old acquaintance from a long time ago staring up at him and unlike most of the Beacon students who were free of the blood, she was sitting in a literal lake of it...

He felt a trail of hot tears run down his face and his emotions briefly got out of control. Like the cat, Faunus stared in disbelief at the blonde alone tear fell from the side of her face." You really made it?" Blake asked she saw her friend staring at her…

* * *

Three months ago….. Outskirts of Vale proper.

"AHHH!" Blake screamed at the top of her lungs as a supersonic projectile ripped into the soft flesh of her right leg. A terrible squelching sound filled the air as blood sprayed liberally though it. The cat faunus visibly shuddered as she was literally spun in mid-air before the projectile forcibly slammed her into the ground.

"Goddammit!" She cried through blurry tear-filled agony altered vision as world-shattering pain filled her body it was the worst agony of her entire life as she looked down to see a long metallic stake digging through her right leg and pinning her into the cold concrete.

As she gripped the metal rod futilely as hot blood poured freely for the wound and sprayed all over her hands and outfit dying the milk-colored cloth crimson red and making her already tenuous grip even worse as she gripped the projectile feebly trying to claw it out.

As she did the stomping of armored boots filled her ears and she looked up as her golden orbs widened with fear.

Panting gasping and covered in wounds the mercenary known as Jaune Arc carefully aimed his shotgun at her. Even in her battered state, she could still clearly read the name Shorty scrawled into its barrel.

The custom weapon loomed over her looking every bit the picture of death itself. Form its gunmetal grey color to the black stock on which it was slaved. Hell, even Jaune decked out in his combat armor of black pauldrons dark green leathers looked like a perfect grim reaper himself as he stared down at the girl.

Blake was an absolute mess. Her outfit was torn and burnt in several places exposing raw, exposed skin and open flesh, her hair was matted down with blood and filth, and her body was entirely covered in a myriad of wounds.

Add in over three weeks of no food that had not done her already wounded body any favors. All in all, it looked, Blake, had had a bad day. And judging by the two foot long projectile in her right leg her day had only gotten worse.

As he looked at the long metal stake, he had driven into her right leg that meant she wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

"Target identified."

He said to his walkie-talkie as he talked into the device as he held it up to his face. A burst of static was the reply before an irritated voice shouted back.

"What are you waiting for then?! Finish her!" A low voice growled from the other side of the walkie. Blake recognized the voice instantly. It was her former mentor, friend and something more... Adam.

She thought tiredly as Jaune raised the shotgun yes sir. He said as he glared down at Blake their eyes met for a moment even through his mask. Crystal blue meet bright gold before he pulled the trigger. BANG! A thunderclap was heard as he pulled the trigger.

The gunshot tore apart the air as he fired it before gripping his walkie. "It's finished." He replied to the device. He heard a muffled sob from the other user before the voice regained its composure.

"Good work Arc. I expected nothing less report back to Roman for your next assignment. Taurus out over."

As he turned off the microphone, he looked at the faunus in front of him covered in blood and grime beaten and bruised scarred and broken with a massive metal spike in her leg and a giant crater next to her head.

He instantly threw down his shotgun and went to work on the bleeding faunus.

"We don't have time!" He said though practiced breaths as Blake gripped his arms tightly as his hand went for the spike in her leg. "Bite this!" He hissed before tossing a spare magazine at her.

"Why are you pulling it out!?" She hissed through pained breaths her canines flashing out at the offending human; "it will only make it bleed faster!"

"We don't have time for you to recover and you can't walk with it in so I'm pulling it out." His voice brokered no argument as the girl reluctantly bit into the spare magazine as he slowly pulled the spike out causing her to wince and writhe in agony.

As he quickly slipped the weapon out tossing it unceremoniously to the side it mad aloud tink! Sound as the spike bond off the earth. As he watched it roll briefly before went back to her leg before he began bandaging it.

"Did you have to hit it so close!?" Blake hissed through gritted teeth as he performed emergency triage on her wounds.

"You should be grateful that I missed the bone ok!?" He growled as he bandaged her wounds. Both teens were tense as time was of the essence and they only had one shot at this.

This was their only chance to escape the lives the had been forced to live, and they were determined to get out of their hell with the lives and whatever was left of their dignity intact...

As Jaune finally successfully bandaged her leg, "can you walk?" He asked his voice entirely and deadly serious she served a jolt of pain flooding her entire body. "I need some help." She admitted as he slung an arm over her shoulder "come on then."

He replied gruffly before the two of the shambled off leaving the burning warehouse behind them. As they walked, Blake stared at her rescuers back as she remembered how the journey for redemption all began…

It had all began two months ago during a fated mission with Jaune, her and Adam Taurus. It was a top-secret mission the white fang leadership had dubbed imperative to the cause, is such a high-value operation where failure was not an option, and only the best were allowed on.

Blake could still remember how the mission began. The three of them had waited until the perfect moment right before the train would leave before jumping on board...

At first, everything had gone well. She had easily and expertly snuck into the corridors of the train and going to look of the objective.

Resistance was minimal this was a stealth mission after all. But it was still there. Mainly in the form of removing guards or automated defenses, not that they caused her any problems as she jumped from target to target killing or disabling as necessary.

As she glided stealthily around the cramped train corridor, she moved like a shadow slitting one guard's throat and shooting another in the back of the head steadily growing her own crimson lake before stealthily moving on.

As she neared her object the hallways became too cramped, and the rumble of the train drowned out all outside noise, so she never saw the guard sneaking up on her.

She would have surely died or at the least been critically injured in fact the only thing that notified her of her imminent danger was a loud thunderclap followed by the sensation of hot liquid splattering over her causing her to jump several feet in the air. She was a cat after all. Turning in a panic, she saw just in time as the guard was blown apart bloodily torn in two.

As shrapnel traveling over twice the speed of sound ripped him in two. His internal organs popping like a bag of confetti as he was blown clear in half revealing the armored figure of Jaune Arc appeared behind her gun smoking before offering to help her up.

"Need a hand?" He asked as she stared at the dull, lifeless gas make the mercenary always wore. Until now despite months working together and other... activities she had never seen his real face the only thing she knew about him was that he had a mess of blonde hair on the back of his head.

"Thanks," she said taking his proffered hand stand up before lamenting as her previously new outfit now irreversibly stained with blood. "I'm fine," she said as they both stood up "good work both of you."

Adam said as he arrived in the middle of the corridor sheathing his own katana as he wiped off the blood from its blade. "New look blake?" Adam asked with a smirk getting a scoff from her as she turned her back to him.

"It looks good on you!" He said with a low chuckle making her hiss at him. Then like a light switch turning in his mind, he was back to business. "The operation is proceeding as planned."

He stated as the train jostled violently "we just need to leave before we blow it to hell." He said with a vicious grin as he did both him a Jaune began walking away. "Adam?"

Blake asked as her leader, mentor and possibly partner as he turned to her. "What is it, Blake?" He asked as Jaune took a covering position behind them "what about the people on the train?" She asked as the thing jolted making all three of them lose their balance.

"What about them?" He asked clearly confused about the line of questioning. "What's going to happen to them when we blow up the train?"

" Ther going to die obviously," Adam said as if were the most common thing in the world…

At first, she had vocally objected to the idea before seeing that her words did not affect her leader, before trying to rally the mercenary the Arc to her side seeing as he was also human but failed to realize that he was just that.

As the Mercenary had simply shrugged his shoulders when she reminded him that innocent humans would be dead.

He was a mercenary he did what he was getting paid to do. Right and wrong held no meaning to one such as him. And he could probably care less about every last soul on the train.

Adam liked that about him. His ability to so easily and haphazardly disregard the lives of members of his own species spoke highly to her mentor, and that was why he was chosen to be brought along for the mission.

Having already been harboring resentment towards the fang for some time and now seeing this action as a blatant disregard for everything she believed in she had deliberately disarmed the explosive bombs beforehand initially planning on blaming the mission failure on mechanical issues but now?

Blake made it her mission to not only stop the train but leave the fang once and for all.

So with one deep breath, she removed Gambol shroud before taking off in a run hearing aloud "Blake?!" From behind her she ignored the call and scuttled the mission ending with her leaving her mentor and the mercenary on the train before escaping into the wilds.

Well, escape was a generous term to be fair. We in reality actions has instant and terrible consequences for as soon as she had left Adam had spoken three words to the Arc in a tone that brokered no arguing. Hunt. Her. Down.

After that, the mercenary called Jaune Arc on loan from Torchwick enterprises or whatever name the foolish man was calling himself this day had been sent to dispose of her.

Even now she could not believe her luck. Running way had only brought her three weeks of reprieve hidden in a seedy Vale hotel. Where she was sure, the room had more lice than pillow cases, before the mercenary had somehow tracked her down in a matter of days, and had cornered her in a squalid rat-infested motel room.

She remembered fighting bitterly well bitterly for a half-starved exhausted morally bankrupt ex-terrorist. Even now she could still remember it with vivid detail.

The harsh crack! Behind the hotel, door being slammed open. The dull thud! Of armored boots on the cheap carpet before a towering figure swung into the room guns ready.

Then the terrible Bang! Of his gun going off sending her scattering eyes bleary ears ringing body broken to the ground her aura depleted and too tired to fight and waiting for the end.

Then a miracle happened. An honest to goodness miracle occurred there in front of her. Instead of an execution the mercenary had dropped to his knees and sobbed.

He actually sobbed like a child that had his favorite toy stolen. He cried and cried shocking the girl before he finally spoke. Seven simple words left his mouth that changed their lives forever. "I want to be a better person…"

After that awkward first encounter, Blake saw her chance and took it offering a helping hand to the sobbing merc a strange alliance was formed.

Usinger her extensive talents of stealth and Jaune's already well established underground contacts they had procured two set of transcripts for Beacon.

Truthfully the last Blake had seen of the Jaune was leaving his transcripts at the dead drop location they had agreed upon, and now after seeing her partner in redemption in the same school as her, she couldn't stop the flood of tears that had come from her face.

* * *

Present day

"You know her goldilocks?" Yang asked teasingly though secretly hoping he did not. She already had competition with her younger sister and another new pretty girl with apparent history with her crush would not help things not at all.

"She's an old friend," Jaune said as he turned around Yang was shocked as she saw fresh tears in his eyes he walked away.

"Jaune?!" She asked as her new friend sprinted in the opposite direction of her. "Jaune?!" Ruby yelled as she chased after him "Jaune are you ok?!"

* * *

As the two ran off Yang looked back at the other girl eyes slightly aflame as the thought of her hurting her new love interest only to see her eye in tears too but not of sadness the girl was crying tears of joy…

"You can not be serious right now!?" The girl in white one Weiss Schnee apparently? The Girl had barely introduced herself as she huffed knocking her off-kilter ponytail to the side as she did so.

"How have you never heard of the great Pyrrha Nikos!?" She said in an irritated voice.

"I wouldn't say great" the other girl a beautiful redhead in bright bronze armor said bashfully from the side, "I'm not that good."

"Not that good!?" Weiss nearly had a stroke at hearing that blasphemy from her mouth. She was indignant about the matter and would not take such things lying down. "You won the Mistral tournament four times in a row!"

"What's the mistral tournament?" Jaune asked with a puzzled look. As he stared at the two beauties in front of him. A moment of silence passed through the group.

" Don't you know what the tournaments are?" The blue one asked angrily.

"I don't even know what Mistral is honestly."

This stunned them as they both stared wide-eyed at him "Jaune?" The redhead said cautiously as if not entirely sure if she believed him or not, "how do you not know what Mistral is?"

"You spend your entire life in the wilds, and you'll find the names and politics of the inner cities are of little concern to in day to day life." Jaune said in a dismissive tone as he pulled Shorty from his holster, "I barely even know that there are four kingdoms!"

He said with a bright smile that intrigued the redhead and infuriated the white one. As the Schnee began a tirade of his incompetence at not knowing the basic government. Technically what he said was right, but that was at the same time slightly untrue.

As Roman had made damn sure he knew at least the basics. That or he would have his assistant otherwise known, as Neo teach knowledge into him.

Who unlike their boss had a more hands-on approach to learning? Hands-on as she would literally beat the knowledge into him. I mean literally. She would literally hit him with a book until he gave her a correct answer.

"It's not that big of a deal!" He said waving the blue one whom he now dubbed "Snow angel" causing her to glare at him.

"What's not a big deal?" She practically seethed at the lad. "You not knowing basic knowledge about the world we live in or the mistral tournament!?" She shouted at him making the redhead flinch in pain.

"Both!" He said causing the blue girl to blow a fuse and monetarily short circuit. "I mean the tournament can't be that difficult after all. I mean you won it what? Four times? Was it?" He asked as the redhead's eyes widened to ever larger levels as she nodded at him.

"Right, you win four times straight, after all, it can't be that hard I mean what did they start to hand them out to you after your second win?"

He spoke with a winning smirk as the girl blushed it makes sense though I mean you are beautiful enough.

He said with a grin causing the redhead to blush a color to match her own hair and the other to glare daggers at him as she stomped over to him her heels making a loud Click! Wherever she walked, "You should learn how to talk to your betters!"

At this Jaune snapped. As his dull blue eyes suddenly became sharp and focused "excuse me did you say my betters?" He said in voice so dull and toneless that it halted the girl mid-rant.

"Excuse me ice queen." He said eating a glare from the blue girl. "First of all, I just met you two, and I honestly have no idea who either of you are." He said pointing at her and the other girl for effect. He said making a point to stare at both of them. "And Honestly, it doesn't matter to me one bit! I could care less!"

"And seeing as I have yet to fight both you in single combat let's hold on to the who' s better than who until we see what we're really made of huh?" He said glaring daggers at the girl in white as she visibly flinched from his stare. "What do you say ice queen?"

"What no clever tactics no snarky response?" Jaune goaded her making the girl glare daggers at him. "I mean I was expecting a lot more from the vaulted heiress of all people. I Mean I was expecting some insults back. I mean don't tell me that your mind is as dull and flat as your chest?"

He said causing the girl to stare in shock. If it was possible for the girl in blue to turn any redder than she was she would have surely exploded.

Although she was in the center, she was not the only one watching the conversation play out. As the redhead grinned with what was pure humor at the blonde's antics. Who's word's She woefully mistook as playful banter and not serious threats?

His sarcastic remarks earned a grin Pyrrha and a death glare from Weiss as she stormed up to him reaching a hand to poke his shoulder blades how dare-She froze in her tracks as she quickly withdrew her hand instantly and with enough force to nearly snap it in two.

Her entire body had suddenly been overcome with a sudden an overwhelming sensation of fear. It was like a very force in her body was screaming at her. Telling her to halt! Practically screaming do not to engage! In fact if anything it was calling for her to fall back!

Whoever this boy was she wanted nothing to do with him.

As she gathered herself, I think I will take my leave. She said as in the quickest yet most polite way possible she grabbed her things and left the locker room...

Weiss Schnee was a proud potential huntress and determined heiress. In her short life, few things had ever truly causer her fear. Besides letting down the company and failing to achieve her freedom she doubted anything could bother her. That was until she meets Jaune Arc. And for the first time in her short life, she felt true fear…

Don't underestimate her, Jaune thought as she half ran half stormed out of the locker room she' here for a reason and he doubted she was just another pretty face no matter how could she appeared to be one the outside.

Beware of any traps she is more the likely to set up. Jaune thought as he stared the heiress up and down as she brusquely walked away. As the heiress stormed off alone thought entered his mind. She's still better than you. The thought causally reminded him as he felt a cold hand in his heart.

It was true despite her pompous attitude arrogant demeanor she was still leagues above him her hands were pure as freshly fallen snow. Never having ended a life. Never shedding the blood of an innocent. She had no blood following her, marring her life in its crimson curse.

Something that he had.

In fact, all the students here were better than him in that regard, from Weiss to Ruby to Yang.

Who despite her tough looks was a complete softie at heart. In fact, he was probably the only one to- that's not true!

A voice shouted out from the back of his head there is another student her whose hands are at the very least equally dipped in blood as your own!

As it spoke a pair of golden orbs came out the form of his mind as a smile grew on his face, it was true. He was no longer as alone as he thought. There was another shadow at Beacon, and her hands were just as dirty…

"That was…" Pyrrha said as she turned to the blonde who had scared of the gushing young girl before going rigid.

As She turned to him, the very air seemed to freeze with tension. She felt it as she stared at the boy with golden hair hollow eyes whose face had twin jagged scars running down its center. It was as if he was the very manifestation of dread.

The uncertainty of his decisions was palpable as the champion drunk deep its essence. It was random, violent and above all powerful. She was excited.

The air emitting off of the blonde one Jaune Arc. It was tangible! The sheer amount of presence he gave seemed to fill the room with an aura of dread and power. Phyrra licked her lips as her day got better.

As she stared at the boy, who seemed equally ignorant of the outside world and her role in it. And who seemed like the first real threat she had ever seen!

Perfect she thought as she smiled at him flashing a rare true smile and not an uncommon fake plastic one she was used to giving. He was absolutely perfect.

Everything about him suited her needs to a tee. His lack of general knowledge mainly about her and clearly competent combat stance already gave a good impression on her.

"Jaune Arc you are becoming more interesting" the champion mused as she watched the boy turn to her.

This was different. Jaune thought to look to the virtual goddess in front of him. And when he says goddess he does not use the word lightly. Although living with Torchwick had instilled in him a healthy admiration for the female form in all its occurrences utilizing the term goddess was never something he did lightly. But despite all logic there she was a literal goddess on two legs.

Her bright bronze armor her lush, flowing hair that reminded him to so much of the blood he was trying to be free from, her eyes that gleamed like the brightest gems were all a breathtaking sight but not what was captivating him.

No, not at all you see Jaune Arc was a fighter a tried and true pit brawler given months of hard training another habit That Roman had imprinted upon him was a desire no an addiction a truth be told rather an unhealthy drive to root out and find strong opponents and beat them time and time again.

It was one of the reasons for many of Roman's problems in his own life. The desire to root out strong opponents tended to occasionally backfire in rather spectacular and unpredictable ways. Most of which he did not want to see but was determined to take the risk.

And in his life after seeing this goddess, this Pyrrha he had come across none better. He was no fool Jaune had been expecting to find strong opponents in Beacon.

Beside his personal quest for atonement he also had other reasons for coming chief among them the desire for a good fight. And where else would he get one?

They were hunters after all but this?! This was on a whole new level The girl standing in front of him this Pyrrha Nikos? If her name was correct was in a league of her own.

He had seen strong opponents in his life living where he lived and worked his line of work meant he was never short of a good fight. But she was on a whole other level. She was so overwhelmingly strong he knew that in direct combat he had no chance of winning.

Months of being tossed in the ring with a bored psychopath with too much time to kill and a parasol that could cut iron beams or time spent dealing with those insufferable twins who liked nothing more then to make him bleed, and often armed with nothing but the skin on his back and a broken coat hanger he learned to play all kinds of unfair and dirty to win. Those early years had hardwired him to always seek the closest advantage.

But as before Jaune was no fool. While he was equally driven by the same desires as Roman, he had also been listening to his inner voice whenever he was in a fight. And While it had taught him to seek and use every advantage he could It had also taught him when to say, uncle!

A skill that had saved his hide form a diminutive psychopath on multiple occasions. Before said psychopath would turn you into a human kebab.

Or managed to end the march right before the twins succeeded in exsanguinating you on the sand floor of the arena under Junior's club. Oum those girls have daddy issues. He thought darkly as he let the memory take him.

Of course, that didn't mean he would just give up. Months with Roman had taught him how to use every dirty trick in the book, and he was no stranger to playing dirty. Attacking every chance, he could and brutally exploiting any and all weaknesses his opponents would show.

Using every low trick he could find and even making some up on the fly led him to an offensive strategy centered on overwhelming enemy defenses viciously and efficiently.

Leading to sudden and decisive victories, it had worked time after time, and even that parasol-wielding death machine had come to acknowledge him in time in her own unique way. And had even begun treating him with what appeared to be a modicum of respect and professional admiration.

Although that was when she was not using him for other needs. His body trembled as memories of being at the mercy of a bored sociopath with too much time in her hand and a naive apprentice eager to please.

He sighed internally as his mere surface once again Back than when he had first removed himself form Torchwick enterprised his retirement did not as smoothly as planned. You see there were three rules in the underground of Vale. Do not steal from Roman Torchwick., Do not bother the white fang and do not under any circumstances try to take way off of Neo's favorite toys. Especially when you are one of the said toys your self.

You see unlike the other two who would simply kill you and be done with it well maybe not the fang they might beat you half to death before putting a bullet in your skull. Jaune should know he's done that action many times before. You See unlike the other two who at least tried to keep things professional But Neo… Neo liked to play with her food...

And she had not taken the news of his departure well. No one takes one of Neo's toys without a fight even the toy itself. The resulting fight had leveled half of downtown Vale's abandoned warehouses, destroying two of Roman's personal stashes and slashing several fang ones in the process.

In the end, he ended up using increasingly desperate strategies to stay alive, including, running, hiding, kicking, spitting it only ended with him literally dropping a building on her to slow her down not that it ever did. It only made her more determined.

Luckily the combination of his accumulated skills and by the good grace of whatever deity existed she believed he was finally dead. An Omission of truth he was determined to keep from her at all cost.

But in the face of this new threat? Even that strategy may pale in comparison.

Neo was tough, but she was just that tough. She was a literal goddess of victory. The only way to get through her guard was not only to fight dirty and desperately and use every advantage he could get. And even with that with all the dirty tricks and devil's luck, he could manage that still might not be enough. The concept of an overwhelming opponent brought a rare honest smile to his face.

* * *

"The first person you make eye contact with will be your partner for the next four years so choose wisely." As the headmaster simply Jaune nodded as he heard Ruby whine from behind him and an offer her a brief solution. Who do I want for a partner?

He thought as he looked at the figures around him they were all bright figures paragons of truth and virtue! All except one. As blue eyes meet gold nods were exchanged and a deal made.

He and Blake would look for each other and become partners. It made sense to find the only partner who was as bloody as him to start his quest at redemption with. As a wide grin split his face as he got ready to fight.

"You will think about a landing strategy as you go."The headmaster said as he took a sip from his coffee mug.

"What!?" Jaune nearly yelled as he saw student after student catapulted into the air. Roman doesn't say anything about this! He thought briefly As he was flung through the air like a rag doll…

"A rather interesting stock this year would you agree on miss Goodwitch?" Ozpin asked as he took a sip of coffee from his mug. Damn, that's good stuff. He thought as he enjoyed the bar his assistant narrowed her eyes at him.

" I must raise several questions about two of our prospects." She said as she looked at two holophiles. "One Black Belladonna, and one Jaune Arc." The princess and a thief. Ozpin thought smugly as he cut to sip, "I'm listening" he said in a tone that indicated he was doing anything but.

"What about them?" Ozpin asked already seeing the glare come out of her.

"Do I want to know why you let two hardened criminals into our school?"

She asked in a deadpanned voice that made the headmaster sigh in frustration. "I let them in because it is what we are here to do." He said as he sipped his mug of coffee as it warmed the soul. "What we are here to do is train the next generation against the force of darkness! Not to play some silly fantasy! Those two are a threat to our students an-

"Glynda."

He interrupted in a tone that brokered no arguing I believe that those two are here on a path of redemption. And while yes I know of their rather checkered past I also think that is exactly why we exist.

"To shelter criminals?!"

" To give hope to those that seek it." He said in a sharp voice that cut through her argument like a hot knife through butter. "To be a beacon for those who are looking for a shot at redemption…"


	3. Walk through the valley

" _All I'm saying is that there are better ways of using your last breaths then begging for mercy from those who clearly have none alright?" Mika asked as Kage and Jaune both agreed with her as they finished off their freshly stolen canned food meal as they took a small break from the tedium of being a group of wandering murders and thieves and looked up to the_ _of red and orange making the entire sky looked like some type of cosmic crime scene as Kage sighed._

 _"They are probably not thinking straight. I mean most of them are just civilians. Many have never seen conflict let alone people with guns in their entire lives."_

 _"That's exactly my point! They are rookies! They have no training no experience and then they have the gall to come here!? To the badlands and after all of that they still have the impudence to ask us for mercy!? What is wrong with them!?"_

 _Mika asked shaking her fists angrily as she ranted to her friends._

 _"What do you think Zach?" Jaune asked the fourth member of their group who merely shrugged his arms as his light tanned ski popped out of his arms leather armor as he shrugged his shoulders at him._

 _"Don't matter to me. Whether they beg or not we will them, all the same, don't we? I don't see a real difference in how they spend their last moments. As long as they die."_

 _"Jeez! Leave the philosophical stuff to Kage! You are starting to sound like him!" Mika shouted to the boy as he once again merely shrugged at her._

 _"Hey," Kage said half-heartedly making a questioning gesture at his friend._

 _"Oh stow it, Kage! We all know your an Oum damned philosopher!"_

 _Mika chastized as Jaune looked up into the crime scene people called the sky as he spoke._

 _"I want to be a better person..."_

* * *

"You got to be _shitting_ me!" Jaune yelled at the top of his lungs as he was tossed through the air like a rag doll. How the hell do any of these students survive!? Jaune thought as he angled his descent drawing his sword in the hope of pinning himself to a tree and-

 _WHAP!_  
Whatever plans Jaune might have held were suddenly interrupted as a long bronze object slammed into his neck, and his entire world went sideways.

* * *

"Now I know I said I wanted to be a better person and I also said that I wanted to be a hero. But if my tuxedo has one scratch on it because of you your owner is _dead_! Do you hear me?" Jaune asked the long bronze projectile that was currently impaling him to the tree.

Jaune had _no_ idea who the hell had decided that nearly impaling him with a bronze spear was an excellent way to help him but whoever it was was in for a rude most likely fatal awakening, and if his suit was in any way damaged when Jaune found him or her.

While Jaune never had a quote-unquote good relationship with the person who gave him his clothes it was a somewhat close _pseudo father-son_ relationship with Roman.  
The master thief was the _closest_ thing he had to a father figure in his life, and the man had found it in his har to have imparted some words of wisdom the young man when _not_ beating the shit out of him or letting his assistant do the _same._

And Roman Torchwick _rule number one_ clearly stated that you let _nobody!_ And he meant _nobody!_ Mess up your clothes! If somebody messes up your threads, you messed up their face. Simple as that.

Jaune took to the master thief's lesson like a fish to water as he prepared to extricate himself from his situation. Not wanting to say pinned to a tree for any amount of time really, Jaune had no interest in waiting around to be Grimm lunch so not wanting to end his career as dinner Jaune pulled the spear with one hand while using his sword using it as a fulcrum to force it out of the tree.

"Come on... Come on... Come on-  
 _"There!_ " Jaune yelled as he finally unhinges himself for the tree and was sent flying out the ground as gravity ever the jealous thing one again reasserted itself into his life with double the force as Jaunrplummeted to the land.

Bend your knees, draw out your momentum, do _not_ let yourself just stop. Jaune thought as he remembered Roman Torchwick survival tip number 33# When falling from tall objects, it is imperative to spread out your momentum for as long as humanly possible and to not under any circumstance come to a dead arrest.

As the boy ducked into a ball, he felt the force of the three-story stop as his aura infuse knees absorbed the massive shock form the fall as he tucked himself into a ball and rolled out of the drop holding the sword in one hand and the immaculate bronze spear in the other.

"There much better," Jaune said as he came out of his combat roll and inspected these surroundings. He was in the middle of the emerald forest alone. With nothing but his Sword, shotgun, the incredibly crafted master forged spear and his suit!

Jaune nearly had a panic attack as he instantly went for his tuxedos call desperately checking for damages and praying that there was none. After being inspected these worst of his fears were put to rest as the suit had nary a dent in it and somehow only his undershirt was snagged in the bronze projectiles flight path.

Speaking of a flight path, Jaune had learned that while you never let anyone mess with your clothes, from a common though to a literal god with flaming eyes. If they touch you thread they have to pay. Though any person who can chuck or shoot a spear over a mile in mid-air and hit him int he collars without harming him must either be incredibly skillful or one of them was inhumanly lucky, or some combination of them both.

As Jaune looked at the spear, it took less than a second for him to appreciate the master craftsmanship that went into it. Th thing was made of the most exquisite metal you could buy and was so well taken care of it made Jaune smile to see a fellow weapon lover out there. Roman Torchwick rule #23, take care of your weapon, and it will take care of you. It works in tandem with rule#16 don't take care of your gun, and you will die, simple as that.

As He stared at the spear it was lightweight and incredibly durable as he flipped it around in his finger, this bronze coating was coated in innumerable small inscription that was too small for Jaun'e naked eye to make out as he saw the deep, intricate carving that ran along the side of-  
 _Danger._

June's innate sense of danger perked up as he realized he was not alone. As he put the spear on his back holding it by his sword not wanting and unwilling to let such an excellent weapon lay on the ground for even a moment. As he scanned the tree line look for the enemy; even if he couldn't see, then he knew they were there.

One does not live for over six years with Neo and not get a damned near _preternatural_ sense of danger in the process.

Such intuition was rewarded as a large skinny black monstrosity emerged from the forest as a Beowulf appeared to form the clearing.

Jaune would admit that he felt an _inkling_ of fear at the sight of the Grimm. It was an emotion that he _long_ thought himself no longer capable of felling as he saw his first Beacon encounter with a denizen of the night. Usually, such creatures were kept at bay in his... earlier days, and he had little to no experience dealing with the monsters.

So he would confess to feeling an _inkling_ of instinctual fear at seeing the creature for the first time. It was great better than a pony but smaller than a bear. As it clicked forward its menace red eyes glared balefully at him as it snapped its jaws manically at him.

 _Come on..._

The thing advanced on him with a steady pace as a second Beowulf came from the other side of the clearing to join its fellow monster. This one also sported pitch black fur shining in the daylight as it joined its fellow.

 _Come on._..

The shadowy things circled him snapping their jaws and growling loudly, but neither of them attacked as Jaune drew his shotgun.

 _Come on..._

Jaune thought as one of the monsters decide enough was enough as it chose to rush in jaws snapping.  
 _Come on!_  
Jaune thoughts it finally happened.  
There! Jaune thought as a third Beowulf lunged at him from the bush only for him to pivot far too quickly for an average human on his feet turn the barrel of _Shorty_ to its face and pulled the trigger.

 _BANG_! The shotgun fired as magnetically accelerated shrapnel obliterated the Grimm's face, as it lost fully half of its body, as it's entire upper half was pulped into red mist. As its corpse carried pas them Jaune was no time planting his feet turning his full weight around and slamming the but of his gun backward.

He was rewarded with a loud yelping sound as his shotguns but broke into the Beowulf charge shattering its jaw and shattered its teeth. Sending the creature howling pain as it skidded to Jaune's side before he put shotgun run into its side. _BANG!_

The most was disintegrating before it his the ground as he eviscerates dit with one shot. The final Girmmwas were eying him cautiously as if not sure whether to attack or not as it growled at the human menacingly.

"Well? What are you waiting for?" Jaune asked as the Grimm apparent hear him and charge him jaws snapping. The most never got more than ten feet as he shot it in the head cutting it's not a skull in half a nearly decapitating it in the process.

As the monster died, Jaune felt a sense of pride in his study of Grimm over the years. Even if he rarely I ever saw them Jaune was well read on the creatures of the night. Roman had made damned sure Jaune was knowledge of the practical matter and kill Grimm was very practical added.

As Jaune reloaded his shotguns, six shell capacity he instantly felt like he was being watched as he swung both Shorty and the spear at the clearing as a calm melodic voice broke it.

 _"My, my my._ That _was_ impressive. I thought you were in trouble for a moment there, but you handled yourself well. Though I would like my weapon back if you don't mind, partner?" A drop dead figure said as a pair of beautiful emerald eye looked at Jaune hungrily.

"Of course partner," Jaune said as he flashed a feral smile as the real challenge of his life came to him.

* * *

"Pyrrha _was it?"_ Jaune asked the drop dead gorgeous woman who now stood in front of him. She was just like when he first met her in the locker room. Strong, indomitable and confident. Her emerald eyes regarded him like a predator who had just found it's me as he swore she just liked her lips as she approached him.

"I am assuming this is yours?" Jaune said handing her backer spear which she took with a grateful bow and a slight giggle that sent Jaune's teeth at an edge.

"Why, yes, yes it is. Thank you for taking such good care of Milo. I thought you might scratch him."

"And dent a weapon that well cared for? I would rather shoot myself. Though speaking of denting, I'll have you know that I take the safety of my clothes incredibly seriously and I do not appreciate you almost denting them, though I will let this slide once since you are my partner, I must insist that you do _not_ threaten my clothes again. Your javelin came awful close to making a dent in my tux and if that happened..."

"And if that happened?" She asked in a deceptively luring voice that Jaune loved to hear. It was like she was somehow tempting him, whispering into his ear even though she was nearly ten feet away as her piercing emerald eyes looked him up and down like he was a tasty piece of meat.

"If that happened this might be the _last_ time the world see's the so-called Mistral champion. Which I have no idea what i is thought it must no be that hard. You won it four times after all."

"Oh really? You think _you_ Jaune Arc? Could take down one of the greatest fighters in the world by himself without anyone noticing or finding out?"

 _"Definitely,_ " Jaune said with his most piercing glare as he saw the champion flash him a smile that was completely at good with his glare. It was a smile that brought equal parts a challenge and a vindication as the girl looked ready to duel him on the spot.

He's perfect! Pyrrha thought as she looked at her partner Jaune Arc. At first, the boy had impressed her with his simple ignorance of the outside world and her role in said world. Then he had more than impressed her when he chased off that irritating even if she meant well heiress wh would not leave her alone.

It's not that she had anything against the heiress it was just that P year was sick and tired of people wanting to get to know her for her champion status is all. And this boy? This Jaune Arc with his odd weapons and burning white tux? The boy was different this boy was a threat.

Pyrra saw that in him the moment he locked eyes with her in the room. Not only did he not know who she was, but he also didn't care. At first, she thought it might be arrogance until she saw his stance slip into a defensive one as they talked. It resulted in almost unnoticeable stance change that most people would not even realize that they were doing subconsciously, but Pyrrha saw, and Pyrrha knew.

Even if he had no idea who she was and joked that the Mistral championship could not be that hard if you could win it so much, which wasn't entirely true but! There was a reason she was called the invincible girl after all. No one had been able to beat her.

In four years of tournament fighting, not a single opponent had been able to defeat her; some had come close! There was much time that Pyrrha was pushed to the edge only to have to rely on her semblance to pull through but this boy? Jaune? For the first time, he gave Pyrrha an emotion she long thought was gone from her, trepidation.

He made her worry; there was something about his cool icy stare that shook the invincible girls usually indomitable confidence. Ss she watched his guarded stance go lax as his cold dead eyes that sent shivers of both fear and hunger down her spine eyed her up and down before a small almost intangible smirk came to her face that anyone else would miss, but Pyrrha did not.

She did _not_ miss the smirk because she used it herself on near day to day bases.

She used it in the opening rounds of the tournaments when she fought the bottom ladder; she used it when she saw an opponent and would not want to hurt their feelings when the battle was over. She used that smirk when she knew she could win. And that meant that his boy this Jaune knew or thought he knew that not only could he take Pyrrha in a fight, he knew we would beat Phyrra in a fight. And do so so handley he thought he needn't spare her a glance!

And the thought of someone with enough confidence and the skills to give her a real challenge sent electric tremors down the girl's spine as she licked her lips hungrily. It had been so long since she had a good honest fight, not those stiff arranged fighters were she would almost automatically win, but a real honest good one knockdown no holds brawl, the fight that was real and gritty, filled with angry do or die fighting where both sides gave it their all with no guarantee that one or either of them would survive the encounter!

It had been so long since she had a real threat and the thought of one flooded the champions veins with competitive fire as the two walked side by side.

"So tell me Jaune why did you come to Beacon? Was it to protect the world? To gain honor? Or did fame and fortune bring you here?"

Pyrrha asked her sharply dressed if poorly camouflaged, who try as she might and despite how good he looked Pyrrha still had to admit when in a forest of green and brown hot white was not the best camouflage to wear.

As she looked at her partner as he moved through the brush weapon out, Milo in rifle form and Jaune's shotgun now called Shorty scanning their frontlines for any activity.

"I need, no I want to help people. So I came to the place where I believed that I could do the most good." Jaune admitted keeping the other part of his backstory a secret for now. Honestly, a good partner or not Jaune had left that part of his life behind, and for better or worse he was stuck here in Beacon. Until he did or graduated and went on to become areal hunter where his road to redemption would truly begin.

"An admirable goal if they ever were one. You said you grew up outside the kingdoms? Where did you grow up exactly? In a small town? Or an island chain, a band of traders? Or some other enclave?"

"I... I grew up with traveling _group_. It was... different. I'm sorry but I'd rather no to about it. Bad memories you know?" Jaune said with a grimace as Pyrrha nodded while kicking herself internally.

* * *

 _Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!_ Pyrrha thought internal as she kicked her self. As she saw the uncomfortable smile on his face. The same fack smile she hated being forced to wear and vowed never to make another living being on the earth do the same was now plaster on her partners as he grimaced, it was a plastic forced smile that made Pyrrha worry for him.

"I'm sorry! I just..." Pyrrha began not being the best at social norm as the best of times and mainly when she fell the might have just insulted her partner slash potential crush slash first friend? As the two walked forward onto the forest.

"It's fine if my life was not sunshine and rainbows it's ok. I go through it in one piece you know?" Jaune said as his partner nodded her head but still insisted on making thing right. "Still I'm sorry! I shouldn't have made you feel uncomfortable!" Pyrrha admitted as Jaune shook his head.

"Pyrrha I just met you, but I can already tell that you apologize too much. If you are going to be my partner for four years, you need to learn to let things go. You're human after all you are going to insult me in four year time it just happens ok?"

Jaune said with a wry grin as the two mad their way pas the woods passing large trees and low branches as the scanned for Grimm.

"I know! It's just-

"Pyrrha. Look you are a great partner, honestly. You are easily the strongest person I have seen here or most of my life which is saying something mid you, so just take it easy ok? I mean your beautiful and I'd hate to see you frown."

Jaune said tuning Romans golden rule for dealing with women and people who would potentially be able to kill you. Always, Always, Always, flatter them. Make people like you more then your self, and you will do fine. Or you'll just die slower than you would others, maybe more comfortably? Either or really, we all die anyway. Roma had said as Jaune and Pyrrha made their way out of the forest and saw a large cave opening.

"Wanna check it out?" Jaune asked as his new partner nodded still fighting the massive blush that appeared on her face, as her cheeks turned the color of her hair as he called her beautiful. Pyrrha was weak to flattery apparently a weakness he would be sure to exploit to its fullest during their time at Beacon...

* * *

"So! You seem to know Jaune! How so?" Yang asked her new partner and potential? Friend as she walked with Blake through the emerald forest. Blake had met Yang fighting a group of Ursa, and after a brief introductory line, the girl had been mainly silent as they walked through the forest.

"We used to travel together. For a time." Blake added in a calm cove as the ravenette walked by the boy brawler who hung on her every word.

 _"Travel together_? Like together? Or just _together_?"

Blake raised an eyebrow at Yang's wording as the two girls found their way into a large clearing with a large stone structure in the middle of it.

"We traveled together. What _else_ would you mean?"

"I meant like... _together_! You know?"

"No..."  
"I mean were you just traveling or were you _traveling."_

"Yang using the same word to describe something but just changing the tone does _not_ make it any easier for me to understand."

"Gah! I mean were you and him together!"

"Yes. We traveled together."

"That's not what I meant!"

"Then what did you mean? I am not a mind reader Yang if you do not tell me what you want how can I help you?"

"AH! I meant where you and him t _ogether!"_  
"Yes, we travel-

 _"NO!_ That's not what I met!"  
"Then what do you mean?"

"Where you two dating!"  
Yang finally shouted making Blake stop cause and stuttered s a bright blush came to her face as the usually claim girl started to stutter and flush.

"What?! _No!_ We just traveled together! We were never dating!" Blake said blushing madly as she thought of her time with Jaune, though it was rather brief it would not due to tell Yang the whole story. Mainly because most of it was very, very much illegal... And the _other_ part...

A bright blush came to the cat's face before a shriek filled the air as they saw a rapidly falling red dot approaching them.

* * *

"This is bad!" Jaune yeeld as he fired History again not the massive deathstalker who merely ignored the sharpen as it's caprice dissipated the attacks with contemptuous ease as the monster charged them.

The tow hunters in training had accidentally awoken the monster as Jaune and Pyrrha fired into the ting as the dodged and ducked the massive pincers and stinger of the creature as they bullets did little damage to the things it forced them into a clearing.

"Jaune we need a plan-  
"AH!" Pyrrha gasped as massive stinger smashed into her while throwing her sideways into the forest and out of Jaune's sight.

"Pyrrha!" Jaune yelled before being knocked backward by a massive stinger and sent flying backward.

"Yang! Catch m-  
"BLAH!" Ruby gasped as her rapid descent into the ground was interrupted as a blonde meteor slammed into her as she was rocked former path and slammed into a tree.

"OWW!" Ruby yelled as she found her world spin before something rough yet soft gripped her on her wats and shoulder as her world came down to reveal a familiar pair of the cold blue eyes looking at her.

"Jaune?" Ruby asked the boy who as one hold her ina process carry as he coked an eyebrow at her.

"You looked like you need some help and since I just happen to be passing through-

"How could you leave me!?" A familiar voice said as a blue dot crashed through the air Ruby ought to back the firey blush at the intimate contact with the boy who she now may or may not have a crush on as she pointed to the dot.

"Jaune! You need to save my partner!" Ruby shouted as Jaune sighed and put down the blue repair and took off into a dash across the tree branch and lept out arms stretched wide catching the fallen princess in a bridal carry.

 _"YOU!?"_ Weiss shouted as Jaune sighed not even attempting to deliver a clever come back as he set for the simple "Me." As the two hover for the amount before once again gravity reasserted itself in their relationship and sent them sailing into the ground.

 _"OW!"_ Weiss said as She was smashed into the ground alongside the rude boy from earlier. As she glared up at her, she once again felt herself cowed by the boy's large admittedly beautiful blue eyes. That was a perfect shade of bright blue. And if not for the sharp end and dullness the radiated from them Weiss might have been almost captivated by them.

As she stated at he, she felt an odd pang of empathy for the boy as his eyes held a familiar hurt in them that she never saw in another human save for her family but that was another story as the blonde sighed once and put her down.

"You ok snow angel? You hurt?"  
"Snow angel!? Who is that?!"

"Uh, you? I mean is there any other beautiful princess who I would call snow angel."

The boy asked as the heiress blushed visibly before a red comet struck before them as Pyrrha came out form the smoking crater swearing and moaning right before a literal Ursa came in with a girl riding it!?

As the month gave out as the small hyperactive girl jumped off before sighed loudly.

"AWWW! The Nora mobile broke!" The small girl said sadly as a panting boy came from behind her.  
"Nora! Never! Do! That! Again!" The boy said as the two teens walked in together.

"Great now that the gangs all here we can all die together!"Yand said as two massive Grimm began to circle them. "No one's dying today. And they are it's going to be me." Jaune said, unfortunately, drawing the attention of the group of students as seven pairs of eyes looked at him with concern.

"Jaune?" Pyrrha sked in a concerned tone she just thought her partner had threatened to commit suicide.

"I have a plan, but I need some help."

* * *

"Just say the word captain! The hyperactive ginger sides she and Jaune ran forward of the movie death stalker.

"Ok Hammer girl!"  
"That's me! But my name's Nora!"

"Ok, Nora."

"When the time comes I need you to act!" Jaune said as the hammer wielder enacted the first part of the plan. As the deathstalker charged them, Jaune sat the other member of the team Nora and Red coming at it from behinds the din. Jaun as his time.

"Nora now!" "Aye! Aye!" The girl said as fired a grenade at the monster distracting it before the monster screamed and lashed dit's tail forward before Jaune and Nora slashed ai with the hammer and sword.

The monster cried in pain as it wit drew it's wounded stinger and hissed at them. Before you do ayn are, Pyrrha launched Ren into mid-air Before he sliced off the tip of the trial as Jaune putt his hand forward and Nora used her prodigal strength tp leaps ahead and she the thing into them softer carapace killing it instantly.

As the first monster died the sound of a terrible shriek filled the air as and the answer was immediate as a _partially_ decapitated never more crashed into the ground and roared. _Not good._ They were doing _very not good._

* * *

"We have to go!" Jaune yelled as his new _friends?_ Would be the optimal word for his new acquaintances current status as they nodded their heads and charged the thrashing beast.

The elder Grimm had struck the ground with the force of a meteorite and blast a small crater in the center of the field kicking up waves of dirt and rocks providing an exceptional screen for them and sending the remaining humans flying back in crumpled heaps, all except on that is.

"Help me!" Ruby yelled as the young girl's scythe was currently embedded into the monster's neck and she had somehow gotten her cape stuck in such a way that she was now held on its side as well.

Thankfully the Grimm could not as of yet reach her to eat her but that was only a matter of time away as Jaune grimaced.

"We have to save her!" Jaune yelled aloud before allowing himself a moment to be taken back by what he had just said.

 _Save?_

 _Her?_

 _We?_

Jaune thought as he realized that for the first time since he could remember he was actually on his way to _save_ somebody and _not_ to kill them.

This was a first time and If Jaune was complete honest a rather _novel_ experience for the young boy so used to hunting people down to kill them in an incredibly brutal and increasingly elaborate ways that the act of going to actually help somebody was completely foreign to him.

"I agree!" His partner yelled as the four of them rushed the down monster.

"Strang how people change you," Jaune mumbled aloud to no one in particular as they ran forward.

Unfortunately for them the bird was down but not out. As it continually launched wave after wave of feathers at the humans taking down Weiss, Nora, and Pyrrha in one sweep leaving Jauneannoyinlg alone.

"Great. Now I have to kill you myself?" Jaune asked the most as duck and rolled under the feat assault before getting in under the beasts reach and firing a point-blank shot into its stomach.

 _Bang!_

 _Shorty_ fired directly into the Nevermores exposed underbelly drawing a gout of blood and bones as the monster sounded a terrible roar that nearly made him deaf.

The monster then responded predictably by slamming a wing into the ground in an attempt to crush the pathetic creature that _dared_ harm it under it's titanic appendage only to succeed in giving Jaune a foothold. As he dug his hand into the things wing span cursing silently and riding the wings pull back and leaping onto the things neck.

"Jaune?!" Ruby squeaked as Jaune nodded to her before unsheathing his sword and stabbing the things neck eliciting aloud _FSHT!_ Noise as the things neck spilt apart and covering the two of them in blood and viscera and making it how in pain before he brought his shotgun into its mouth.

"Didn't you mother tell you? It's rude to peck?" Jaune asked before pulling the trigger of Shorty and blown the things head off int a shower f blood, and flesh as both had and Ruby fell to the ground where he caught her bridal style making the girl blush wildly as she waved her arms around frantically s Jaune smiled at her.

"Y _ou were my first time,"_ Jaune said bluntly looked the small girl dead in her eyes as her mouth suddenly dropped open and hung as Ruby paused balked as her face lost all color and went as red as her cape. As she horribly misunderstood Jaune, as he was reminiscing about the first life he ever saved as he smiled brightly as he walked back to Beacon Ruby in arms...

* * *

"Team _Juniper_ led by _Jaune Arc!"_ Ozpin said as Jaune blinked once as he saw the old man smiled at him as Jaune blinked twice at giving a position of leadership. As his team congratulated him, Ozpin spoke again.

"Team _RWBY!_ Led by.. _. Ruby Rose!"_ Jaune matched with a happy expression as her team congratulated her. Well most of them anyways. Yang wrapped her in a bear hug while Blake merely nodded in approval before shooting him glance they both knew as talk later. Weiss seemed to disapprove of the appointment but held her tongue as the students walked off the stage.

* * *

"So this is our room huh?" Jaune asked as he stepped into the wide and honestly living Beacond dorms. Was it a vast room maybe eight feet total? With rich red carpeted floors four large beds and two dressers. One for boys one for girls?

"I'll take the far bed," Ren said as he moved to put his stuff at the end of the room. "I'll take the bed next to Ren!" The bubbly ginger announced as Jaune smiled at her.

"I'll take the second form the door," Jaune said remembering Roman Torchwick rule _#68._ When choosing sleeping arrangements, it is _paramount_ to know what bed you will take. In the event of an ambush, the first bed is _usually_ the first to get hit, and you should aim to take the middle bed in any given situation as that will give you not only time to prepare but time to flee or the option to fight back if possible.

"Then I will take the one next to you," Pyrrha said flashing Jaune a wolfish smile that he returned with equal force. As his partner walked in front of him swaying her hips in a way that would be fatal to mortal men and devilishly grinning at him.

One day Pyrrha I'm going to wipe that grin off your face with a _shotgun but_. Jaune thought firmly as he thewed his dusty green knapsack over his bed and checked the few contents that equaled the _entirety_ of his material possessions.

The guitar that has been with me since I was two? _Check_. Extra tuxedo's and clothes that are worth more than every once of my blood? _Check._ _Meger_ food rations that should no longer be an issue for me? _Check._

Jaune thought before panicking briefly as his heart surged to his chest before calming down she found the most precious possession in his life. _Lanyard? Check._ Jaune thought as he held the small object that was his whole reason for existing.

It was a small white string, with nine small lettered white blacks running through it but it was a reminder, not of what he had done but of what he could become. And it was all that kept him sane. As he put it down reverently, he made one final looks as his body shuddered in fear as he saw the _final_ object of his pack. _Demon? Check._

Jaune thought as he confirmed the _bane_ of his life was still firmly inside of the bag and had no way of escaping as he finished his supply check before taking a deep breath before settling down in his bed saying a quick goodnight to his teammates as he closed his eyes and went to sleep.


	4. Blind to it all

" _Why do they always scream like that?"_ The girl that sat in front of him on a large boulder asked as she kicked her legs out freely. _"I mean if they're just going to die why waste their breath screaming? I mean I don't see a point!"_

She stated boldly as she kicked her legs out again her long silver hair flowed all the way to her ankles as she stared into the sun. _"Maybe they're scared?"_ Said the boy sitting to her left said as he picked in his tin can.

" _They're just people after all."_  
He replied calmly irritating the girl.

" _They still shouldn't be screaming!"_

The girl continued " _I mean if I knew I was going to die and I had a choice between screaming and fighting back I'd use all my energy to struggle!"_ She said as she animatedly waved her arms animatedly in the air.

 _"It doesn't make sense that they'd waste their last breath in hopeless cries for mercy!"_

" _Especially when we show up People think the Brawnrens are tough but us!? We put those bird fools to shame!"_

 _"Mika, we've been over this before, they are just roadies."_

The boy said as he fished a piece of something out of the can and onto his finger.

" _I know I know..."_ She said before turning her head "what do you think Jaune?" She asked as the turned to the boy with messy blonde hair. " _It is a waste of time to scream right?'_

 _"I… he hesitated... I don't know."_

He said as he looked down to the ground as he focused on his can of goods. He seemed deep in thought as he looked at it. _"Hey, guys? Can I ask you a question?"_

He asked as he turned to see his three other companions two males one female they all had similar wiry thin frames with lean, taut muscles, as he stared at them he grimaced as he couldn't get a good read on there expressions.

They were still all in their gas masks not that they ever took them off and their faces were hidden behind bulbous callous and impassible figures. " _Do you think what we do is right?"_ He asked the group as he turned to the fading sun. _"What do you mean?"_

The one naked Kage said lazily as he looked at his can. They were shuffling food after the raid and were busy stuffing it under their mask to eat.

 _" I mean is what we do..."_  
He struggled for the right words. _"Good?'_  
 _" There is no such thing as good or evil."_ Kage said simply as he turned his head up to the sky _"what we do is no different than anyone else."_  
 _" Yeah, I get I but-_  
 _"Jaune we are raiders! More importantly, we are the **Death's Raiders!"**_  
 _Mika said brightly "what do you expect we do? I mean it's not like our name leaves much to the imagination!"_

 _"We come from the shadows and bring death to anyone unfortunate to be living in the area! We lie we cheat, and we steal!"_

Said the other boy as he stood up quickly "we take everything and leave nothing! After all live, fight, steal, and die is the motto of our group!"

Mika said happily as she looked at him her impassive mask still secured she did. _"What are you even asking these questions anyway Jaune?"_ She asked her interest set on the lanky human with a scruff of blonde hair poking out of his colorless blank-faced fight mask.

 _"I mean it's not like this is your first rodeo after all! I mean we found you after you were born abandoned in the badlands by whatever family you had. It was just a crying baby and one bright sword and shield strapped to a raving infant surrounded by beowulf's!"_

 _"You're lucky we saved you and decided to take you in!'_  
Mika said proudly as he looked at the girl a sense of guilt grew in his stomach as he thought of his next words.

" _I know, and I am grateful! I really am it's just that… that? Don't you think there's more to life the killing, robbing, and burning?'_

 _"Jaune!"_ Mika said offended _"how dare you to say that! All life is but one long blood-soaked fist fight that either ends with you blasting your opponents head off in a shower of blood and shrapnel or getting yours knocked down in an equally brutal manner!"_

" _After all. We live long bloody lives and die long bloody deaths." The entire group repeated as one. Their motto drilled into them since childhood… a tired sigh broke his mask "I think I'm going to leave…"_

 _"Jaune…._  
 _" I have to leave-_  
 _" Jaune!"_  
 _" I need to..._  
 _" JAUNE!"_

* * *

"Whoa!" Jaune yelled as he shot forward eyes wide to find the emerald eyes of his partner staring at him. "Jaune you have to get up!" Pyrrha said as she eyed him worriedly. "You need to get ready for class!"

"Class? Why would I ever need to go to- oh crap!' The ex-mercenary shout out of his bed as his memory flooded back into him. I'm in beacon! I have a team! I lead my team! As the memory of initiation day washed over him the flight to the forest, him meeting Phyrra the final fight against the nevermore. A lone thought entered his mind.

 _I made it?_ He thought as he looked around the simple dorm to see his em in various states of dress. Pyrrha and Nora were fully dressed in their uniforms looking ready to tackle the day.

Especially Nora who looked like she was practically eager to hit something and _hard_. As her turquoise eyes roamed the room before locking onto his blue ones and sparkling to life.

"Jaune!" She yelled leaping over to him and crushed him in a bear hug." Nora!" He barely coughed out before he felt his ribs breaking. "I'm so glad you're awake! Now we can all go eat pancakes together as a team!"

"Pancakes?" Jaune asked as Nora finally put him down. "Why pancakes?"  
" Because Pancake are awesome!"  
Nora said proudly as the struck a victory pose pointing to the blank ceiling. "The food of the god's wouldn't you agree oh fearless leader?"

Jaune was flummoxed. As he stared at the girl in red."Honestly, I have no idea." Jaune admitted calmly "I've never had pancakes before so I-  
 **"WHAT!?"**

Nora instantly leaped to her leader's position on the floor " _HERESY!"_ She shouted pointing to him just like Neo pointed at a cup of gelato, with a look of shock and disgust painted on her face. "How can you have never had the food of the god's before?!"

She asked in what had to be outrage and contempt "I-

"No excuses!" Nora yelled before grabbing her Warhammer Grenade launcher affront of practicality and shaking it vehemently.

Really who the hell makes these people weapons?! They arm children with guns so outlandish and deadly that they would be considered a war criminal if wielded by anyone _but_ a hunter! And yet these same people have the _gall_ to call us criminals?! Ridiculous!

Jaune wondered as the voice of Roman entered his mind as he pondered why in the world anybody would think of adding a grenade launcher to a war hammer, or was the Warhammer added to the green launcher?

A true philosophical question if there ever was one, what came first the grenade launcher _or_ the hammer?

"Don't bother with it."

A calm voice called as the only other male team member Ren exited the bathroom. As he smiled at Jaune, he looked ready to speak but before he could manage to get out alone wore a loud shrill voice rang out from the dorm next to them. "It's eight fifty-eight, you dunce! We're going to be late!"

A moment later the scream as followed by a loud cacophony of voices followed by shuffling of feet was heard as Jaune opened the door to reveal the members of team RWBY sprinting down the hall at breakneck speed.

As his team watched them "Jaune, you have to get dressed!" His partner yelled as she eyed the clock "class starts in six minutes!"  
That, meant head and six minutes to shower shave wan clean. Jaune smiled to himself as he walked to the bathroom. That was nothing, whoever thought you needed more the three minutes to be shaved showered and completely dressed to the nines had _never_ lived a day with Roman or been on a _date_ with Neo. As long as Jaune had over three minutes? He had time to _spare._

* * *

"Jaune's amazing!" Nora shouted as they sprinted through Beacons hallways. They had until recently been in the room expecting to be late on their first day of school until they were all blindsided by Jaune's borderline incredulous ability to shower shave and get dressed in _under_ three minutes.

"He must be a secret agent or something!" Nora added causing the lead to grin. Or something he thought as they ran. If she added assassin, murderer, and loiterer to the list and maybe she'd be a bit more on point. He thought as they ran through the hallway of Beacon proper.

Ren was an observant man. He was also a quiet man. He kept to himself not really one for getting involved with the lives of others save for Nora who did not give him an say in the matter.

But things had changed for him. Recently too. As he ran with his newly minted team JNPR or Juniper a smile formed on the man's face. He liked his new team. His leader was a strong and capable man his partner was a champion of prodigious strength and skill and his best friend from childhood was his partner all in all he couldn't have asked for more except...

Well, there were _two_ things bothering him. Booth about his leader

One his leader had been acting strangely as of late. Not that Ren had known him more than a day, but a life traveling had taught him the signs. He was constantly tired and nor Ren's b sloth like tired but dead tired.

He seemed to talk slowly and deliberately and had a feeling of perpetual _ennui_ about himself that was disturbing to say the absolute lease. And his eyes...

Ren firmly believed the eyes were the window to the soul. And if that theory held true then Jaune's soul was _desecrated._ His eyes were cold dea _d emotionless_ things. That were more link dark sunken pits then the windows to a being inner light. His entire body radiated a level of exhaustion of weariness that screamed to be ended. To be put down and simply to let die. And, after all, he had gleaned from hin one thing was abundantly clear was that his leader was in a serious and _deep_ state of depression.

Now, normally this would be of little worth. They are teenagers so having a leader who was moody was par for the course. But after gleaming over him, Ren was convinced this was no mere mood swing and that something was wrong with his leader. And if his worst dear came to life those cold dead eyes, that expressionless dead look that Jaune tried his absolute _damnedest_ to hide from others especially his partner. That Ren only gleaned through scrutiny during Jaune's battle with the never more. One thing was clear Jauen was broken.

Broken in a way that has deep as it was profound. Something was wrong with him on a spiritual level, and whatever it was it was severe, and Ren lacked any real way of helping him with it.

The next thing about his leader and the one that truly and honestly bothered the gunman was his _footsteps._ As they rounded a corner at first Ren was convinced he imagined things, but now he knew for sure. His leader Jaune had _no_ footsteps.

Now when he said no he did not mean his feet didn't touch the ground. He checked _several_ times as of now a was certain every time he moved his fee would rise up and fall that they did, in fact, come into complete contact and did touch the ground before leaving it making no sound or any hint that they were there.

Hell, the only reason he knew his leader was there in the first pace was he could see him and his pants made noise if not for that then he might have been able to pass completely undetected.

Ren had no idea how he was managing this. Being one to attempt to master the arts of subtlety. And spending hours leaning silent footfalls had led him to be in his own opinion of the stealthiest people alive.

But after seeing Juan going full-on sprint without making so much as a peep, he came to the conclusion that in comparison to him he sounded like a herd of crying toddlers in a toy store.

Or Nora when she had no pancakes for a week. No matter how what thought it was clear. No sound beats muted sound. And the only question was how was he doing it?

Was it his semblance? That had to be it. Ren could think of no other ability that would let a man walk without making footsteps. What a useful semblance though.

Ren thought sagely as he watched his leaders mute footfall he would love to ask him about it but only later. Such things could be tricky and if he was a good judge of character which he was.

Jaune had his share of trauma in his past, and he would need to find a discreet and subtle way of asking him in the calmest manner. Luckily Nora took care of that problem in the usual way by shouting at the top of her lungs. "Jaune-Jaune's a ninja!"

If there was ever a word to describe Nora Valkyrie subtle would not be it, the four nearly stopped their sprint before rallying themselves as they all stared wide eye except for Ren at the girl's outburst.

"Nora?" Pyrrha asked worriedly as they took another turn "what are you talking about, Jaune is not a ninja."  
" Yes, he is!" Nora shouted in a way that brokered no argument. I Mean listen to him! His feet make no sounds! He's Like the ultimate cat burglar!"

As she spoke a realization hit her face that's it?! She asked as she turned her head to Jaune mid-sprint "you're a _phantom thief,_ aren't you!?"  
" Phantom what?" Jaune deadpanned her thinking of some guy in white bird mask trying to steal a vault for justice or some other nonsense.

"You have to be a phantom thief! "She said happily as they ran "Nora…" Ren said calmy form the back "I don't think our leader is a thief nor do I think he appreciated being compared to one."

"But Ren! You said so yourself! Either Jaune is a phantom thief if he's some type of an _assassin!"_

At her words, Jaune's heart fluctuated as he instinctively reached for Shorty. "You said that Jaune was probably depressed and-"

 _"Nora!_ " Ren hissed through gritted teeth as the girl instantly silenced herself putting a hand over her mouth as a look of shock washed over her face.

"I'm so sorry Jaune-Jaune!" She said doing her best to keep pace and be apologetic.

" It's just after last night, and you're overall lousy mood, depressing words and overall cold dead eyes we all thought you were depressed and were hiding something from us, so we decided-

 _"NORA!"_ Both Pyrrha and Ren yelled this time effectively muting the ginger before making their final turn "Jaune we- "It's ok."

Jaune said calmly as they reached their first class grim studies. He knew they meant well and he loved them for it. As he reached for the door handle, he had resolved last night to embrace the love his teammates had given him even if he didn't deserve it.

Even if he didn't understand why these perfect people would give someone like him the time a day. Let alone honestly care for his well being. He would respect their wishes and let them be as he gripped the handle and opened the door.

* * *

Jaune was in _love…_ Not the romantic kind no way. He had not been in a relationship with Neo, and even that was less of a romantic one and more akin to a cat playing with its dinner than a serious romantic one.

No Jaune was captivated, enraptured, enamored and above all else. Jaune was inspired by what he could only describe as the absolute pinnacle the very definition of perfection made manifest, the sheer precipice of status that huntsmen could achieve. He was talking about the man, the myth, the legend, _Professor_ Peter _Port..._

At first, Jaune thought he would hate his classes but after taking one look at this man, Jaune knew he couldn't have been more wrong.

And what man he was! Standing over seven feet tall with a girth to match is height stood professor Peter Port. A tall, burly man with legs thicker than most trees and arms to match. All tucked in neatly to a brig red outfit with golden buttons as an absolute mountain of man chuckled deeply.

Jaune was instantly enraptured by the professor. At first, he was intimidated by the man's size his clear combat stance and that absolute magnificence of his mustache! He felt like he near the presence of the divine.

But that was not what grabbed Jaune's attention oh no. What grabbed and sealed the deal of his fawning over the man was his way of life. Here was a man who risked everything and he meant everything to save others.

He lived his life solely to the benefit of those around him. Doing everything is life to save people no matter who they were even against impossible odds! Jaune listened with rapt attention as the man described beating off a horde of beowulf's with not but half of the left half of his right shoe before riding a Goliath away from the town after he had just tamed the best on his quest to save a bus full of drowning school children! If there was ever a man Jaune wanted to be like it would be Peter.

That's why it _broke_ Jaune' heart to see over half the class ignoring him! Here was a man full of wisdom and years if not decades of combat experience in fighting the very enemies they had dedicated their lives to destroying, yet half the class was asleep!

How could they?! Jaune thought horribly as he looked around to see Nora knocked out on her desk not even bothering to fake sleep like her partner Ren who at least had the good grace to sleep with eyes open!

Following them came his partner who to his immense relief was dutifully like him taking down notes. Though for some reason she seemed tried with an almost… bored?! Expression face. Though the mere fact of someone become bored during one of Professor port titillating tease of adventure eas sheer madness! And Jaune was sure; he was imaging things.

Mainly because how could anyone be bored of this man's stories?! They were fantastic! He Was just describing how he had singlehandedly slaughtered an entire pack of Ursa using only a hand of cabbage and piece of broken plywood he as named Phillip! This man was a legend! And Jaune was determined to live up to the name.

"So is there anyone amongst you who has the true spirit of huntsmen inside of them?"  
 _" I do!"_ Jaune yelled shooting up his hand and catching big mans attention. A beast of a smile broke the professor's face as he grinned at the boy.

"Oh? It looks like we have a taker! Tell you what son! Go get you combat attire and meet back here for a true test of your skills and manly bravado! What do you say, my boy? Do you have the true spirit of huntsmen in you?"

"Yes, sir!" Jaune nearly yelled as he had to fight the urge to skip. Down the stairs to his dorm and back.

Upon his return in his last clean tuxedo the final one in his wardrobe and one he was determined to keep pristine he was greeted by a strange but heartwarming sight.

"Go get em fearless leader!" Nora yelled standing on her desk waving a large banner that read _JNPR! Fight! Go! Gight! Win!_ On it, as she waved it he also noticed Ren had a humiliated look on his face and large foam fingers on each hand one reading _JNPR#1!_ The other reding _Go Jaune!_

To his far left sat his partner with her brilliant smile and another foam finger reading go JNPR! As she smiled brilliantly at him. Never in his life had Jaune been met with such love or affection and the sight almost brought him to tears.

 _Almost_ Port has said himself that a real man never cries! And Jaune would be damned before he let his idol down.

That plus Roman would kick the ever living crap out of him for such a blatant display of weakness… Or have Neo kick it out of him which was always worse mainly because she had _steel_ tipped heels...

As he walked his smile fell as he laid sight upon team RWBY. Jaune was… disappointed in them to say the least. He had expected a team of a qualified huntress in training to show a teacher of this caliber a bit more respect mainly seeing as he was a veritable fountain of wisdom and stories. But sadly only one member Weiss had bothered taking any type of notes.

The others had all flailed about. Yang went to bed taking Nora's lead and knocking out. Blake began to doodle for some reason, and ruby stacked a pencil, book, and apple on her nose which while impressive was utterly pointless and distracting for the lessons.

As he walked into the middle of the room, he saw a massive cage in the center of the floor. "White tux ey laddy?'  
Port said with a grin. "  
"Not bad! If I do say so myself, in fact, you remind me of a younger version of myself back when I was a naught but a _dashing_ young man!"

Jaune could have died. Not only had the teacher of his dream given him a direct compliment, he even said Jaune reminded him of himself! If someone so pure and so good could be compared to him, maybe there was a real chance redemption? Maybe this shadow could become the flame?

"Let's see how to handle the unexpected!" Peter yelled before slashing down on the cage as a large boarbatusk trotted out.

Oh great… Jaune grimaced as he eyed the Armored grim. Give me an enemy with armor. Just what I needed. He thought as the monster looked around in confusion for a moment before beady red eyes locked on him. It roared challenge before charging him in anger and charging him.

"Damn it!" Jaune hissed as he aimed shorty at the thing before firing at it. _BANG!_ The shrapnel fired and just as he suspected bounced harmlessly off of its shell and flying off in razor-sharp whisps of metal going almost everywhere as it ricocheted off its bone armor buzzing around the classroom destroying several books notes and other stationery items.

"Oh, she's a tough one eye lad! Might want to keep up the pace!"

"Go Jaune!" Ruby yelled from the stands waving at him as her partner gave her a death glare. Kick it's but! Nora yelled unwilling to be outdone by another team in support of her leader.

Jaune fired again scoring superficial damage before sliding to the left avoiding a bull rush by the monster. WHAP! The things tusk impaled himself on the ground trapping itself on the wood floor. Seeing his chance Juen aimed and fired nearly taking the thing in two.

By some eldritch blessing, the monster still lived… Missing half of its body mass the thing somehow jumped and became a spinning ball on blood and death as it rolled towards him.

"Go for its belly!" Ruby yelled as he eyed the spinning ball of death and dismemberment if- "RUBY!" Weiss suddenly yelled at her partner. "You are a distraction!? Can't you see you are bothering him!"

That's a bit harsh. Jaune thought as he eyed the monster as it spun towards him. He simply waited… and waited...Com on. Jaune thought as he eyed the monstrosity almost there…

"Now!" He yelled as he jumped back in one motion stabbing his sword into the ground in front of the beast. Not being able to turn in time the monster hit his sword acting like a ramp it went off of it slamming itself into the wall and stunning itself in mid-air.

Before it even touched the ground, Jaune was on it as he pumped the Grimm's belly full of scattershot that tore the thing into fourths.. As the monster dissipated Port clasped him on the back forcibly before shouting. "Take notes, ladies, and gentleman, for we are in the presence of a true huntsman in training!"

* * *

And he was all _BOOM! BAM! KAPOW!_ Nora said as gave play by play on his fight against the grim. And then he! Nora Ren said calmly stopping her mid-rant w"e don't need the play by play we were there remember?"

"Of course, I do silly, but it was awesome!"

"Our leader is amazing!" Nora proclaimed as Pyrrha giggled at her.

"While I do believe that it is true," Phyrra said her face filled with pride an warmth.

"You did well out there Jaune. You were as Nora says _amazing."_

"You do yourself credit Arc," Wess said formally sitting cross their table with their sister team RWBY who was in the middle of a c _old war_ of sorts. Apparently, Weiss had not approved of Ruby's election to a leadership position and was quite vocal with her opposition to it.

"You really know how to take pounding out there don't you _Goldilocks?"_ Yang asked teasing in a desperate bid to diffuse the tension of her team seeing his chance to help his friends he took it.

"Not really." He said casually flicking his hair with one hand. "I just learned from watching you is all."

Her eyes flicked to orange as her grin widened. "Oh? are you saying that you want to _pound me Goldilocks?"_

"Not really," he said with a sigh "you look like you'd be a _rough_ ride after all."

Yang looked downright euphoric until Blake cut in. "if you two want to have sex so bad do it somewhere else ok?"

Her golden eyes never left her book as she turned the pages her book some of us are trying to read here you know? Yang's face turned the color of her sister's cloak who began bursting out laughing while Jaune merely shrugged before something caught his attention.

"Hey, blake?'

"Yes?" She replied not looking up from her book.

"Why are you wearing a _bow_?" Time stopped as Bake looked downright horrified that he asked that question. Luckily before he could ask another a pained cry rang out from the cafeteria.

 _"Stop it!_ That _hurts!_ " The group turned to see a rabbit faunus getting bullied by a group of students. "Despicable," Pyrrha said as swatched them but stayed firmly in her seat, dicks. Yang said evenly as he spat on the floor also planted in her seat. Blake eyed them hotly before Ruby spoke up "where's Jaune?"

The blonde in question was already on the move towards the group. Truth be told Jaune _didn't_ like bullies. It was one of the _few_ positive lessons Neo had installed me him. If the purpose in life was to get stronger. Which it _was_ then there was only one way to do it.

If you need to steal from somebody fine, do it. If you have to kill somebody? Fine go ahead, by all means, do what you have to do to survive. _But!_ If you pick on somebody, who was weak _just_ because they are weak in you get nothing less out of it? You're just a coward and will _never_ get stronger. Not that there's anything wrong with being a coward!

You didn't live a few years with Roman without learning that despite all names an occurrence cowards do tend to see the next day while the more heroic of sorts tend to wind up dead in a ditch with a _parasol_ in their spines.

As he walked to the group, he could still remember Neo's words. After all these years the diminutive girl's _words_ still rang true to his ears as he heard her _speak._ Remember Jaune picking one that weak will never make you strong it will simply show how weak you truly are.

"Look at the freak!" The ring leader, a massive muscular man, covered in large plate armor with orange hair. "I told you they were real!" He said yanking the girl's ears and making her scream in pain laughed mirthfully he turned his head as he felt a shadow over his head, he never saw the punch that knocked him out of the three subsequent ones that finished off his team. Leavin four knocked out youths and one frightened bunny faunus on the ground as Jaune shook his head and walked away.

"Pathetic." Thu human said as he spat once and walked back to his table of shocked friends.

* * *

"Now you will have your first day combat class." The stern voice of miss Goodwitch called out from the arena she said calmly as she walked through the arena. Jaune sat slightly away from his team. The incident in the cafeteria still fresh in their minds they had all decide to give him a slight birth as they stared at him with varying faces. Curiosity from Ren. Admiration from Nora. Worry and fear from Phyrra.

On team Rwby, things were much the same. Rwby looked panicked and nervous silver eyes darting back and forth unsure of what to do or think. Yang meanwhile looked vindicated, and smug Blake looked downright euphoric and Weiss.. Weiss looked more intrigued than he had ever seen her before as her cold blue eyes stared at him.

"The first match will be.. Jaune Arc!"

"That's me," he said as he stood up.

"Versus…. Weiss Schnee!" The girl stood up before curtsying to him slightly. Good luck Arc same to you he said calmly before they went to the arena floor.

"Good luck Arc."

"Same to you, " he said calmly before they went to the arena floor.

* * *

"Aura synced?" Miss Goodwitch asked the two teens as she stood above the arena in the rafters overlooking the two, mine is! Weiss said as Jaune also confirmed his sync.

Weiss nodded as she got into her combat stance an drew Myrtenaster she had never fought Jaune before, but she knew he was capable and decided to not underestimate him. As she took a deep breath _"Begin!"_

Glynda signaled as she opened her eyes _BANG!_ Instantly a jagged wall of shrapnel slammed into her so hard and fast she barely had time to make a glyph to shield herself that stopped _most_ of the rounds the rest impacting hard against her aura and sending the girl flying backward hissing in pain.

Taking a look at her bar, the heiress gasped as she saw her readouts, _ten percent?!_ She doubted she had even been scratched! Yet that weapon took ten percent from here in what was only a _glancing_ hit!?

As she looked to her combat skirt two pieces of twisted, jagged metal was lodged into it an aura or not having somehow penetrated the fabric. This distraction was all her opponent needed as she felt a _shadow_ overtake her.

Weiss barely had time to react diving vertically as the white-clad figure of Jaune arc moved over her. Too fast! She thought frantically as she eyed the young man. Weiss never took her eyes off her opponent. And the sole time she did he managed to cross the entire area a distance of over thirty yards completely silent in under seven seconds!

"How did he get here so fast?!" She hissed at herself as she tried to arrest her slide midway in the air. One second he was on the other side of the arena the next? He was right on top of her!

Weiss stuck her fall years of perfect training and prate kicking in like second nature. As she struck the ground waving her sword, as a glyph appeared before sending a spear of ice toward the young man. The shaft of ice lance up at an incredible speed almost blinding to the eyes as it stuck outward like an angry whip. He _deftly_ jerked to his side dodging it and continuing his run never losing a bit of momentum in the process.

Weiss ducked as he flashed out her rapier as it was all she could do to dislodge the barrel of the gun preventing a direct hit before he fired. _BANG!_ Searing pain shot through her shoulder as grimaced in agony. The retort deafened her momentarily as it sent her ears ringing her mind flailing.

Her body was flung a good twenty feet back landing several times in the process she looked like nothing more than a stone made of pure snow skipping on a grey lake.

As she got up ears ringing something fierce as her vision dimmed and blurred she checked her aura and to her horror, it was in the orange. She shocked her out of her stupor as she realized the vast majority of his shot had gone wide.

A direct effect of her using her rapier at the last second. Grimacing but determined to make a good account of herself no matter the outcome of the battle, she grabbed Myrtenaster determined to make a fight of this.

"Let's see how he handles this- her words were caught in her mouth as she saw the but of a shotgun sailing forward to meet her face.

How did he get here so fast?! She grimaced grabbing Myrtenaster readying herself to make a desperate glyph to save herself. How did he get he so quietly?! Jaune was _not_ a small man he was tall and taut with lean muscles sticking out even from his tuxedo.

He may have been fast there was no way he had approached her completely silent. How did he get her so subtly? She wondered before a gun but slammed into her head making her see stars. Weiss spat of a wad of spit as the barrel of a shotgun connected directly to her face as her perceived world exploded in pain and agony.

The next few moments of Weiss Schnee's life were full of incredible pain as Jaune connected _Shorty_ to her face in a brutal overhand arc that sent her spiraling into the air.

Before he pivoted the gun and drove the but into her chest a stunning display of force that made her eyes opened to the levels of saucers while making her cough out whatever air was left inside of her lungs before falling to the floor

Not wasting a moment he aimed the gun one last time find the perfect angle before firing and sending her sailing head over sword through the other side of the arena. Before landing in a crumpled heap of blue and white before spitting once and collapsing,

"The match is _over!_ Victory goes to _Jaune Arc!"_

* * *

Jaune paused breathing hard and panting through his mouth. The fight had not been fair, and he knew it. He was in a bad mood be the fight, and he was taking it out on Weiss. And he felt awful. He was also wearing his last good suit it was still in pristine condition and had yet to take a scratch. Something He intended to keep as he held out a hand to an exhausted Weiss.

To his surprise, she took his offered hand as he helped her up. He has been expecting her to be angry, furious with him after the battle. He half expected her to hate him and the thought of him losing such a new friend hut him more than anything else.

But it was to his eternal surprise when she looked to him, not with hatred or apathy but shock and approval as eyed him with was almost approaching affection?

"As you can see!" Miss Goodwitch said walking into the arena proper. "Mister Arc used an opening advantage to initially rush his opponent before dragging her into close quarters melee combat. The type where he could excel and use his weapon to full efficiency."

"MisterArc! Though I will not add this to your day's record since you did exceptionally well without it. I am assuming you have two weapons for a reason _yes?_ If so then you should _try_ to mix it up in the arena. "

"You never know when they will learn all of your tricks and you need to improvise. Always be ready to use the full arsenal at your disposal Mister Arc that is all." He bowed quickly accepting the woman's advice with a nod.

"Miss Schnee! You need to be more aware of your surroundings. In that initial volley of fire, you let yourself be distracted far too easily! It left you wide open and allowed mister Arc to dictate the fight."

"You _apparently_ are made for ranged attacks so do your best to keep your distance and make him work for every inch of ground gained."

"And for your own sake keep your eyes up! Never take them off of your opponent! You are lucky that you were fighting mister Arc and not a real battle. I Shudder to think about what may have happened if this was a fight to the death and not a simple arena spar!"

"Yes, miss I understand."

Weiss said as she bowed quickly to the dean of Beacon. "That being said good bout both of you! I see a lot of potential in you so keep trying, and it will surely blossom! Dismissed!"

As the two teens made their way back to the bleachers. Jaune was trying to find a good way as of apologizing before Weis spoke. "Jaune.. "The Next match will be… Lie Ren versus! Jaune paused his heart in his throat not sure what she would say

As he turned to face her once again, he was struck down by her eyes! They dumbstruck him as they seem to now positively radiate affection and kindness as she opened her lips _"thank you…"_

* * *

Jaune was a changed man...After the arena fight, he had realized something had a weakness.. For all the vaunting he does about the flames and all the flaws he found in the shadows. One glaring weakness had occurred to him.

The flames fought like flames. They fought with nobility, and the shadows would surely take advantage of. Weiss had bee lucky to face him in the arena bout today. If was anyone other than him in that arena. Like Roman or Oum forbid Neo!?

He had to repress a shudder think of what that petite girl would do to her once she found their games tiring. Neo was not one to appreciate boredom in her life, and when she got bored she got creative…. And when Neo got creative... It was not a pretty picture and not one that he sought to entertain for any longer than necessary.

The would have killed her so fast that Glynda couldn't have said begin! Seeing this a critical danger to his friend's life Jaune made his decision.

He would keep being the shadow. No longer would he seek to become the flame. For now, he was needed as the darkness. He would fight like the shadows, and he would train with his other shadow to improve.

He would hone his friend in the ways of the dark. Things he had learned over years of living with the shadows would now be used for good. The liars fight, the gambler's hand, hte assians blade, he would make sure they knew exactly what they were up against or he would die in the process.

The shorter chapter than usual this time! Sorry about that need time to set this up for the future you know? Anyways I'm still new at this sot hank for everyone who read's like favorite this story you mean the world to me! And as per usual, I own nothing all rights reserved. Also shameless self-plug I might be adding another story to this site so if you like my writing be on the lookout for Bastion. Check it out. Hint! Hint Wink! wink!


	5. Top of the hill

Ren liked to _watch._ It's what he did; some people wanted to _knit_ others to _fish_ , some like to _cook,_ Ren, on the other hand, liked to _watch._ And when he said watch he merely meant observing his surroundings and the people who inhabit them. And _not i_ n a sexual way. That would be weird. As Ren sat in the arena watching his leader win his first combat match Ren was impressed.

Jaune fought with the force of a freight train and subtlety like a crouching Beowulf with the power of a charging Goliath. He had started the fight offensively right off the bat. Firing a shot of his weapon shorty directly at his opponent Weiss Schnee's body. The Schnee to her credit had successfully blocked the shrapnel fire even going so far as to hold her ground behind one of her aura glyphs.

An impressive display of dexterity and strength to say the least until she had looked down to inspect two shards of shrapnel that had embedded themselves in her skirt. Her first mistake and under any other circumstances a fatal one to say the least.

Ever since Jaune had shot his gun, he had been sprinting towards her. The fact that she let her be distracted by two shards of metal lead her to lose the match.

Jaune was absolutely brutal in his attack closing the distance in record time and being upon the heiress before she could even react. In her defense, she had tried to fend him off even summoning a spear of ice to impale him with causing him to skirt to the side before barreling down towards her.

An even more impressive feat of skill. While being charged by the freight train called Jaune Arc, she had kept her cool and managed to divert the brunt of his attack with her rapier knocking the gun aside and only taking a quarter of the shrapnel to her right shoulder.

Although a quarter was still too much. As even with the deflected blast the weapon still knocked her aura to the low orange in one strike. Ren shuddered internally at the thought of being hit by such a weapon. After that, the ti had been over. Not pausing for a moment Jaune had responded to the deflection by taking his gun and using it as a _croquet_ bat. Slamming the but of it into the heiress's face and sending her flying backward.

Followed quickly by the sickening _crack_ of the gun to her face that had made the majority of the teams twitch all except Nora who instead developed a manic grin and muttered the word "legs" under her breath causing Ren to sigh heavily.

Even after all of the years he had spent traveling with Nora he still had no idea how his childhood friend had developed her fetish for breaking legs. And he had long since given up on dissuading her from that particular issue in her life.

As Nora grinned, everyone else had some level of sympathy for the heiress as she was sent cascading backward as Jaune even then did not let up.  
Taking his gun and using it like some type of spear he had slammed the but into the girl's midriff causing the gaps of air from the heiress to reach even up to the bleachers as he hit the girl in mid-fall never letting her hit the ground.

This time Weiss's did hit the ground. If only long enough for him to draw a bead and shoot sending her flying across the arena. As the match ended Goodwitch called out the victor noting that he had won the first battle of Beacons new year and a perfect at that.

She congratulated him shortly before the entirety of his team began to cheer for their leader. The entire except for him. You see Lie Ren like to watched and while he was impressed by his leaders combat skills. He was brutal and efficient in a way that spoke of years fighting experiences.

Usually, such a leader would be a gift, but Ren had seen something else that made the young lotus pause. Just like with Jaune's footsteps it was what the boy didn't do rather than what he did that lent credence to his character. There were _two_ things that his leader did not do that stood out as bright red warning signs to the young man.

As Ren had watched the fight something has stood out to him like a red flag. Jaune had fought like a wrecking ball fight hard and fast, never once backing down never once letting his opponent gather herself and never hesitating….

Normally not hesitating was a vital part of any combat school but this was different. Even the most rogue of trainees tended to hesitate. I mean they were students for Oum's sake!

They had no reason to kill each other! But after seeing Jaune fight like that, he knew for sure, that Jaune had been fighting to kill Weiss. And if the fight had continued Ren was under no illusions that he would have done just that.

Now Ren knew Jaune didn't _want_ to kill Weiss. If he had Ren had no doubt that he could have killed the heiress several times over. No, he could have easily killed her, but that wasn't his point.

The second was the sword on his back. During the entirety of the fight, Jaune had refused to draw his sword and instead only relied solely on his shotgun. A fact that miss GoodWitch had called him out on. Normally Ren wouldn't mind him only using one weapon.

They were his weapons, after all, it was up to him how to best use them But what bothered him was the why to it. Why not? He was a clearly a _somewhat_ competent swordsman? Ren thought based on the fight against the nevermore.

He had swiftly dispatched the Grimm with ease in the forest. The only other reason Jaune did not draw was that he was looking down on Weiss.

That he thought she was either unworthy or too easy to be worth drawing his weapon. That meant he was underestimating his opponent something the green-clad boy highly doubted his leader would do.

As Jaune walked his way to the bleacher. The leader had spent the entire fight without showing a hint of hesitation even if it was he fellow beacon pupil who Ren thought he got along with, but like the other night, Ren had seen his eyes.

He knew without what those eyes meant, those cold dead eyes. Not angry, not sad but indifferent. They were the eyes of one who had taken lives before.

And if Ren had to guess Jaune had ended his fair share of human lives. Not That he was one to judge. Living in the wilds was hard after all, and sometimes choices had to be made that most people would _frown_ on. After all, Jaune had shown no hostility towards him or more importantly towards Nora. He had treated them like they were deities actually. Something that both confused and surprised the Lotus as he was in no way divine or worthy of such praise.

As Jaune made his way back to the seat once again Ren pause. He had been an especially sad look on his face from earlier.

Jaune had been in, and mood after the cafeteria and Ren Was hoping this arena victory would do some good regarding curb his foul mouth.

So it was to Ren's surprise when the face his leader wore after his win was the only one that he never saw coming. As Jaune sat down, Ren saw it clear as day as his eyes widened and mouth dropped it was clear as day Jaune was disappointed…

* * *

"There we were surrounded on all sides with _no_ means of escape!"  
"We were in an open field with _plenty_ of options."

" There were _hundreds_ of Ursa!"

" There were _three_ beowulf's. All badly injured."  
" Ren why do you keep correcting my dreams!?" Nora growled as the groups sat in the lunchroom.

It had been two days since Jaunes arena fight, and things between the teams had been.. Awkward To say the least. He had no idea why but Jaune had been seemingly avoiding his team for the past few days.

Barely speaking a complete sentence to them for the past few days. He even seemed to avoid team RWBY an act that was clearly having a detrimental effect on their young leader who looked like she was going to have a mental breakdown.

Speaking of their sister team's leader, she did not look well. The stress of leadership was not meant for everybody, and it looked like Ruby was about to crack, her body was slumped and leaning over her lunch tray, while her eyes were badly bloodshot redder than her hood, each with large bags the size of quarters and had the shade of onyx.

The team's problems were no secret Ruby was the youngest and now their leader. Weiss resented this fact and told her every chance she could.

This was stressful to the girl seeing as she was isolated within a new place with new people with only her sister to count on for support since Blake appeared to not have a bone in this fight and stayed neutral.

Combine this with the stress of a school built for combat the added pressure of classwork which he knew she was falling behind in. The weekly combat classes and the overall burden of leadership? The young leader was on the brink of a _total_ mental collapse.

Ren was no fool he saw the cracks forming in team RWBY but did nothing to help. It wasn't that he didn't want to help it was just that they were their own team with their own problems.

They would sort it out themselves one way or the other. Meanwhile, his team had their own problems to look out for. Their leader had been sulky for the past few day barely speaking a sentence to them.

And despite his best efforts, he could not tell why. Did We say something? Did we do something? Ren thought as he wracked his mind trying to figure out what they could have possibly done wrong. Or what the leader has seen in them that caused them to draw his ire. To Ren's great frustration he found nothing absolutely nothing that they could have done that would anger him so greatly.

His thoughts on the matter were blocked as a pain filled scream rang in the cafeteria. "Stop it! That hurts!" The voice of the rabbit faunus called out again as she was bullied by their fellow first year's team _CRDL._

As he watched them his brows narrowed towards the group he hated bullies. The lotus right then wanted nothing more than to go there and stop them. But for some reason he did not. For some strange unknown bygone reason, he stayed firmly in his place.

His legs never moved, and he stayed firmly in place. While the girl was harassed as he did.  
" I'm tired of this," Jaune said abruptly as he stood up and walked toward the bullies.

* * *

As he walked towards the bullies, Jaune fought a deep sigh as he approached them. Truth be told Jaune did _not_ hate team CRDL. Not at all. In fact, he held no real ill will towards the team what so ever. They were there just like him attempting to become future hunters.

As he approached the group, he was well aware of their bullying and misconduct, actions while he did not support he could not really condemn them either. Because truth be told… They were almost _nothing_ of worth.

They were _minuscule_ acts in the grand scheme of things really. Minor actions of little importance. I mean hair pulling? Knocking over your notes? Spilling one's drinks on you?

Sure they were all annoyances and definitely rude and obnoxious actions speaking of low self-esteem and trust issues, but there were overall minor grievances.

I mean no one got severely hurt or killed. And this was a hunter school for Oum's sake! He was sure that the girl would not have been let inside if she couldn't defend herself properly. And more than that she seems to be a second year to boot!

Watching the girl get bullied bothered Jaune in a way that he could not understand. Where he was from it was common that the weak feared and were _preyed_ upon by the strong. It was a world he detested vehemently and wanted to see changed but ultimately one he understood and made sense. The storng prey upon the weak and the weak cower from the strong. Fair? No. Logical? Yes.

As brutal and pragmatic as the word was it not a world Jaune was content to leave be. He sought a world no matter how unrealistic it was where the strong could _protect_ the weak, and they could all live together. Jaune smiled mirthlessly knowing full well that it was a pipe dream nothing more.  
That world could never happen human nature prevented it from doing so. Even still he could dream.

Though Jaune was no fool more often than not the strong preyed upon those weaker, then they and the cycles of abuse continued ever onward. But this?

Watching the weak prey upon the strong? Seeing a girl who was clearly their superior getting bullied by those who she could easily have brought down? It racked Jaune in the worst way possible.

She should have mopped the floor with the team the first second they step out of line. As to why she didn't and wasn't using their heads as convenient _footstools_ for her boots he would never know though he was determined to find out. What he did know was that no matter how bad team CRDL was they were better than him.

Jaune could have never been said to be a bully. Sure he had _robbed, fought, killed_ and _pillaged_ but he had never _bullied._ Although bullying was easily the lesser of those offenses by far. It just never occurred to him to pointlessly assault another creature.

Mainly because most of the people he knew would skin him alive if they caught a hint of lip form him. But that being said pointless violence never made sense to him. Hell, even Roman and Neo didn't bully people!  
I mean sure they were _both_ criminals and had done their fill of things that made what team CRDL was doing to the girl seem like a comfortable massage, but they were not bullies.

Roman mainly for he believed that one should be both loved _and_ feared in equal measure. And bullies tended to not to do well in the whole love part. Neo, on the other hand, was well... She just had to short of an attention span to bully anyone. She got too bored to easily bully anyone repeatedly.

Don't get him wrong; she was _definitely_ the type of girl that if she caught a lizard ( _or lizard faunus_ ), she would get the _utmost_ pleasure of pulling the legs off of it by piece by piece.

Sure she did bully people sometimes! But most of that was driven out of boredom and the simple need to kill time rather than malicious intent. In the end, it was simple. In reality, bullying or repeated acts of bullying actually required a lot of time and effort.

Doing to the same people over and over finding new and creative ways to inflict minor inconveniences. It was too much time, and effort and Neo just had a short attention span. Bullying was far too much work for far too rewards for her, so she never took part.

Whatever faults Cardin may have had and they were many. One could not say he did not learn from his mistakes. Seeing Jaune coming not that Jaune was in any way hiding himself or even trying to the large boy drew his mace. Smart Jaune though as he grinned viciously, he was already reaching for his weapon before he even reached him. _Clever…_

He was angry… Jaune knew that much not so much at Cardin but at himself. These were people who he had expected the world form. Bright pillar of flame brings back the darkness! Even if that was solely his fantasy and in no way grounded in reality, it was his dream, and he wanted to defend it. These four were a problem to that dream, and they needed to be dealt with accordingly.

As Jaune made the final approach to the team, he knew full well he was projecting on them, but he didn't care. He was in a bad mode, and team CRDL was bullying someone. He was already mad form their actions before and now he had an outlet to project slash vent on to, someone was going to get hurt …

"You're that punk from last time!" He yelled without waiting for a response and swinging his mace. Jaune sneered at the man. He was at the moment unworthy of the title flame.

Jaune had watched them for the past two days. Always bullying the same person. The one person who didn't fight back. They needles taunt bothering and abuses her. They were acting more like shadows then flames! And they dared to try to be the flame?!

As he watched the man with an irate glare as the hulk of a man brought his mace down in a brutal arc. Pathetic. Jaune sneered as he sidestepped the mace watch with thinly veiled disinterest as it smashed into the ground the floor cracked under the brutal weapons force sending chunks of masonry into the air. As Jaune sidestepped the attack the look the leader's face was priced as his eyes widened in shock before Jaune threw back his arm and punched him in the face.

He had to give team CRDL their credit. After their last bout, it seemed they had been put to work on their combat skills. This time it took two punches to knock them flat.  
After Cardin's failed mace attack he had knocked his head backward in a brutal haymaker before grabbing his head in one fluid motion and infusing just a hint of his own aura into his hand before bashing it into the cafeteria table knocking the man out instantly.

"BOSS!" A man in a garish blue outfit yelled before using a staff at him. Jaune tucked into the first swing stepping side into the man's guard before flat fisting his face sending him reeling before he delivered a punishing uppercut knocking him unconscious.

The laster members fell a similar way to the first. The last two however unlike the first had decided to take him together seeing their other teammates rendered unconscious in two swings.

Smart Jaune thought as they both rushed him if they had done this form the start then they would have a shot at a chance. Not that they would have won but hey might have made him sweat for it.

The rallied themselves to no avail. One of the first things Roman had drilled into him was how to surprise and prevail over multiple opponents. He had long since been drilled into fighting against groups thrice their size. And that actually wanted to kill him.

The first to fall was the boy in blue. He lasted three seconds foolishly jumping ahead of his partner. Jaune tossed an empty food tray at him arresting a halting his jump mid-flight before grabbing him by the collar and slamming his head into his knee before throwing him to the floor and smashing his neck with his foot leaving only one stand member of team CRDL.

The last one and apparently a tad more intelligent than his friends decided to throw down his weapons and surrender. A good choice. Jaune thoughts smile came to his face. This worked two-fold for the ex-mercenary.

On the one hand, he shows the signs of thinking realizing that he was outmatched and against a superior opponent who luckily enough do not as far as he knew, want to kill him and chose to lay down his arms instead of fight.

Secondly, it gave Jaune his first opportunity to spare somebody. Sure he might have spared a life once or twice in the wilds for whatever reason. Lack of ammo tiredness or just sheer Neo levels of boredom. But this would be his first sparring since being a hunter in training, and he looked forward to it.

Everything was going great until the boy opened his mouth. Please don't hurt me! He said as he gave a shrill voice that made Jaune freeze solid. He begged for mercy…

* * *

Jaune saw red as his vision hazing over the file this first snap into clenched balls. As his vision hazed, he saw red. He begged?! Jaune thought as his mind started to become muddied with memories as it filled with raw hatred and anger.

How dare he!? What gives him the right to beg for mercy!? Does he have any idea how many times I begged for mercy!?

His thoughts lost coherence as he gained a dim set of tunnel vision colored by a red mist. As he began shouting to the boy on the floor. "Do you know how many times I begged! How many times I pleaded! I Shouted to anyone and everyone who could hear me!?"

"Do you have any idea how much I cried, pleaded on hand and knees, and begged for cry?! I promised them everything! From the world on the ground to the stars in the sky! I offered every ounce of water in oceans And I got _nothing_!"

"I never got amount of reprieve! Do you know how many times I begged for just for a _hint_ of clemency?! Do you know how many times I got any?"

The Boy on the ground eyes was side to the point of full dinner plates. He was terrified too shocked to move away from the yelling man in front of him who had taken down a team like they were pieces of paper and he a shredder.

 _Not one! Not one time had Jaune had never been shown a hint of mercy in his life. No matter how many times he had begged no matter how many times he pleaded he never got an ounce! Of clemency from those above him._

If Neo hadn't pitied him, he would be damned if he pitied anyone else has them mist thickened his thoughts were drug deep into its crimson depths he had suffered… And he would make sure _others s_ uffered in turn.

* * *

As the last punch connected the vibration rocked his arms as the boy crashed down int the floor leaving Jaune panted heavily as he turned to the quaking Faunus girl next to him. "Do you need some help?" He asked as he offered her his hand. She jerked away from it like he was made of poison as he offered his hand to her. "Whats wrong?"

He asked as he eyed the quaking girl. Are you hurt? She was beautiful with long brown hair shining brown eyes and a long pair of bunny ears. Y"ou.. Why did you do that?" She asked tentatively wiping a tear from her face, "do what?"

"Fight them!"

She asked eyes wide in disbelief. "Why did you help me?"

"Because those men were cowards unworthy to the name hunters!" Jaune replied as he once again offered her a hand and this time she took it.

"You do not deserve such abuse."

He said as he gently took her hand. She smiled daintly as she accepted his offered appendage. At the woman gave him a smile that warmed his heart "thank you..?" She pauses fishing for an rem to place on his face.

"Jaune. Jaune Arc!"

He Said as he shook her hand "Velvet Scarlatina." The girl said as he gave a slight blush. Her voice had a slight accent to it, but of the life of him, he could not place it. Thank you Jaune.. she said as she gave a faint blush before doing an walking away her body making a telltale _swishing_ motion as she did. Jaune smiled deeply as he saw the rabbit off before walking away…

* * *

Jaune Was furious. As he sat back down with his so-called friends. They all looked like he had kicked a puppy. Is something the matter? Jaune practically hissed at them before digging into his meat. Jaune..

Pyrrha said not knowing what to say until she finally gathered her courage and spoke up.  
"Why did you do that?"  
" Do what?"  
He stared at his partner who flinched as for the first time she saw the first fringes or fear in those green orbs this time she saw anger in those blue eyes.

No longer were they indifferent balls fo dull azure now they were furious sapphire balls full of disappointment and anger.

"Do what?!"  
Jaune slammed both fists into the table as he shouted at her. She flinched visibly as per table grew still. Silence by the young leader's outburst. "Why did you… intervene?'  
" Why didn't you!?"

Jaune shouted towards the table his voice no longer dull or reserved but chalked full of hatred and spite. "Why didn't any of you intervene!?" He yelled accusingly to the entire table. He searched the table blue eyes scanning for any to oppose him he found none...

Green turned to her food, turquoise looked shocked and couldn't decide where to look aside for anywhere he was not. Magenta had their lids close but listened on; lilac stared hard and cold at her food refusing to meet his gaze while silver panicked her already long bags under her eyes exasperated by the situation.

Meanwhile blue simply stared towards the fallen bullies with her left eye occasionally looking towards him. Worst of all gold refused to meet his gaze out of all of them she had no excuse for not doing anything.

"You all saw what was happening and did nothing?! How could you!? How could any of you!?"

" But Jaune..  
Yang said refusing to meet his gaze as she stared down to her plate, "but nothing!" He yelled.

"We are all here to become hunters! To protect those who cannot protect themselves! Yet when you see someone in danger, you do nothing!?"

" How can any of you consider yourselves worthy of being called hunter!? Even if you are trainees, this is ridiculous?!"

"But Jaune...  
Ruby said her body was quaking with fear and panic "we never- "Especially you!" He snarled turning to the small girl who gave an audible yelp.  
As she turned into her cloak. "What happened to the girl I met in the docks? The one who said she was here to save people no matter the cost?!"

"Whatever happened to saving those who wouldn't or couldn't save themselves! The one who said she was her to save people but turned her back the moment she saw someone being attacked!"

Ruby look like she had been stabbed in her eyes widen to saucers he mouth hung open in shock before Jaune continued.

"You did _nothing?!_ How could you!? He yelled letting his pain vent on the girl. You let somebody be hurt when you could have done something! You willingly allow harm to come to another student right in front of your eyes!"

"You could have done something; He's weak! His whole team is weak! You could have intervened at any time to stop them, but you didn't! You don't deserve to be here!"

At his last words, Ruby looked ready to faint. Her body was already tired and haggard from her team's internal conflict. Now she was openly berated by her first friend since her entry of beacon. She didn't know how to reply as her mouth opened and closes with macabre companion and goldfish. "What happened to the girl I met at the docks..."

His voice said as the last hints of anger left it's tone only to be replaced with sadness and disappointment. "What happened to my _friend?_ "

The last words are what made Ruby's heart broke. She wanted to shout I am your friend! Always have an always will be! But his word rang true. She had done nothing…

As his words laid into her scratching doubts came to her mind. As the sea of fear and self-doubt, she had accumulated before becoming a Beacon student and having a team thrust on her began to whisper in the rears.

She had left somebody to suffer! She refused to act decisively! She was worthless as a leader! Maybe Weiss was right after all!? Maybe she truly did not deserve the position as leader?!

As Jaune readied his body for any rant, he took a deep breath before he was cut off by shards of ice. Jaune stopped. As the temperature of the table dropped visible A cold chill filled the as his breath once hot and vehement. Became cool and frosty.

As his breath became puffs of smoke in front of his cool sound of freezing ice filled the room as small icicles began to form in the air. "Jaune look at me! If you keep doing what you just if you are not better than them."

The cool voice of Weiss Schnee cut through his words like a hot knife through butter. "You solved a problem of violence _with_ violence. Making you no better than those who perpetrated it at the beginning!" Her words were cold hard and said with such conviction they stung his ears.

"You may have saved the girl, but you are no better than them." Jaune was about to burst as he stared down the preppy rich girl. "How dare-

"If you want to select us for berating then that's _fine._ "

Weis said once again completely and totally cut off whatever rebuttal he had planned as her word sliced into him like a shard of glass.

"You are completely and utterly correct and justified in that manner. We are all complicit in the bullying, and I apologize on behalf of myself and everybody else at this table. We let ourselves be complacent and fell woefully short of the examples of hunter we all strive to be. We made this mistake once, but you have word that we will _not_ do it again."

"That being said!" Her voice took on a cool and clear tone belonging to one who takes charge. You can not solve every problem with violence! But they were hurting her! So what?! You hurt them!? Jaune that solves nothing! You have addressed the root of a problem if you want to solve it!

Weiss said staring him in the eyes find her voice before continuing. "Violence solves nothing!"

"It solves _everything!_ " Jaune nearly shouted back to the girl in white who flinch from his word but do not back down.

How could she not see?! How could they all not see what is so clear and right in front of their faces!? Violence solved _everything!_ It's the only thing that has ever gotten results in human history!

"NO!" Weiss shouted standing up to her full height. Even shorter than June she seeds to match his eyes in the state. "Violence for violence sake never solves anything! And even if you do it for someone else's sake you are still apart of the problem! If you go beating up every other person who bothers someone else's then you are no better than the one who's started it!"

"But how!?": Jaune was exasperated at girls ignorance. How can she be so blind!?

"Beause!" Weiss shouted once again as the air dropped a few degrees. "Yes, they were bullies! Yes, what they did was wrong! But doing the same thing to them as what they did it someone else so to make you right!"

"If you keep hurting those who hurt others what difference is there between you and them!? Jaune said to try to shift her reply off. Sure what you did is popular but is no different! When it comes down to it, you both are looking out for your own self-interests a using violence on anyone who opposes you!"

Her words cut clear and hard as the boy reeled before her. You say you were here to save people right? Then If that's true first of Learn how to help yourself before you go on lecturing anyone else!?

* * *

Jaune was mollified. As he should be the conversation in the water had been an eye-opener to him. He had felt so right before his talk but then. She cut me without drawing her blade.

Then the girl's words cut through him like a cold knife through butter. Through all this time he had no idea why but that girls words had that effect on him. They cut like steel though paper when she spoke he listened to his life depended on it.

As he thought about earlier a pair of heeled footstep came to join him on the rooftop where he sat before she could speak he cut her off. I'm sorry. Jaune said cutting off whatever apology his partner was trying to make.

"We're sorry!" Phyrra said as her emerald eyes widen to near Ruby sizes. Speaking of ruby… he felt sick after what he said to her. She didn't deserve that, and he vowed to make it up to her.

"No, you are right!" His partner had desperation rooted in her green eyes. We should have done something! We saw somebody in danger, and we stood by. It makes me sick thinking about it!"

"I-

"You did what you thought was the right thing to do. I can ask no more as your partner and.."He pauses before smiling and putting a hand on her own "as your friend."

The blush on her face was unmistakable as she quickly turned her head before her cheeks matched her hair. As she smiled, Jaune looked down on his lap where before he had been interrupted he was busy performing maintenance of _Shorty_ the gun had been with him all his life, and he deserved the best.

As he put down the cleaning kit "Jaune, do you want to spar with me?" His partner asks emerald eyes wide in anticipations "I'd love to."

He said as he put down his kit and resembled his gun. As both him and his partner took their stances, a came another face. I won't hold back you know? She said sporting the single largest grin he as seen on her. He returned it in kind.

She even looks like aflame! He thought as he watched as his vibrant partner seems to radiate happiness and goodwill. That means you know what good for you! He said as he aimed his shotgun it was time she saw how you fought as a _shadow..._

* * *

Late chapter I know. I've been busy with life and school, But on the plus note, I have chosen to be an actual author of fan fiction. I have some stories that I think would be good so I have been working on those so expect two new releases.

I found working on more than one story helps me write. This work is a bit on the darker side the next two will be more on the light, fluffy side one literally so. Until then I'll be working on my profile not that it exists but until next time see you!


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